Trying To Keep Life In Rhythm
by AmiraStarr
Summary: AU; With the thrill of survival dwindling and the fears of the past and future on the rise, Yama is finding life after his adventures difficult to handle. Can the singer take on challenges no one believes he is ready for? Romance, Movie deals, and many other surprises await the blonde idol in the sequel to 'Trouble Sings Backup'.
1. Stress is all Around

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. **

**This is the sequel to **_**Trouble Sings Back Up**_**, so you might be better off reading the other story first. But if you want to skip that one and jump right into this story then feel free. To each their own, right? : )**

**Anywho, dear readers… Here comes chapter 1:**

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Every person in the world had something that sent him or her into a mini Godzilla rampage. Some people hated clutter, reality television, or insects. While others would argue politics till they were blue in the face. For the famous singer Ishida Yamato the biggest pain he currently faced was a doctor moving at glacier speed.

"Your hand has healed quite well, but your leg is still far to injured to remove the cast."

"Yes," Ishida nodded his head while silently counting to whatever number was supposed to calm people down. "But with the hand all fixed up I can get out of the chair. Right?"

"Well that depends, on how much you plan to use the crutches."

"Look, what answer do I have to give you to get clearance for crutches?" He gave up the pointless mental calculations and let his frustration simmer.

"I know this is difficult for you, but we need to tread carefully." The older man pulled a pair of crutches that had been leaning on the back wall and handed them to Yama. "Tell you what, let me fix your hand up with a little extra padding and we will see how well you can stand on them."

Only a few agonizing minutes later, the doctor had padded Yama's hand sufficiently and helped the boy place the crutches under his arms. The stiff feeling of wood against his armpits was uncomfortable, but paled in comparison to the throbbing pain radiating from his injured hand. He tried to take a step or two forward at his doctor's direction. Although he knew full well it was uncomfortable, he forced a pleasant smile on his lips. The last thing the boy wanted was to move backwards in his treatment plan.

"It isn't to painful?"

"Nope. Not at all." He lied.

"Have you ever used crutches before?"

"Once in a school theatre production. I was pretty good at it." He lied again knowing full well the doctor would have no way to disprove his statement.

"I see…" The old man mused and turned his back to the blonde, who proceeded to squish and squash his young face into looks of pain. By the time the doctor turned back around, Yama had composed himself and offered another forced smile. "Well Ishida-san, I want you to use the crutches sparingly. You can slowly increase the time you spend on them as your hand continues to heal, but for now limit yourself to about five minutes per session. If you must be out for longer periods of time I want you to use the wheel chair. Alright?"

_Over my dead body. _"Sure doc. Are we done for the day?"

"Yes. I can wheel you out to the front if you will get in the cha-"

"Sorry, but my five minutes are not up yet. I think I'll walk." He tried to play the situation off as a playful moment, fearing any minute the doctor would catch on to his plan. "You know, I have another one of those chairs at home. Uh, why don't you keep that one? No reason to have two."

Against better judgment, the doctor relented and accepted the donation before escorting his patient down the hall and into the main waiting room. The normal spikey haired boy was waiting for them with a smile. Personally the doctor had wondered if the brunette was more than just a friend to Yamato, but it was none of his concern really. All he focused on was keeping the singer healthy and out of the hospital. Besides, he had worked with enough influential patients to know that prying was considered a rather large sin in the eyes of the famous.

"You got your wish!" The brunette cheered and sprouted an even wider grin. "I told you that if you let your hand rest you would be ready for crutches in no time."

"It is good to be standing again." A tiny smile cracked Yama's pale expression and helped him push through the pain emanating from his left hand.

"So is it all crutches now?" Tai looked back to the hallway and noted the boy's black wheelchair was missing from the picture. "Where is your chair?"

"He donated it to the hospital. Said something about not needing two."

"Two?" The wheels in Taichi's head started to spin and he shifted his eyes from the doctor to an increasingly suspicious looking Yamato. "We only have one. The one he so graciously donated."

"Doesn't matter," Yamato cut in and tried to force his way between Tai and the doctor. "I am on crutches now and that chair can help someone else out a lot more."

"You are on limited crutch use," The doctor reminded his sneaky client with a frown plastered across his wrinkled mouth.

"We could just increase that to full crutch use…"

The doctor glanced over Yama's head and locked eyes with Tai, "I'll go get the chair. Good luck with this one."

**XXX**

It wasn't like Tai wanted ruin Yamato's day. He hadn't woken up that morning and thought, _cook eggs or piss off my already angry at the world boyfriend? _Of course with the way Yama had been acting lately, Tai wondered if he even was still the boy's boyfriend at times. What happened to the boy who had been so relieved and excited that he had woken up with his family and friends nearby? It had only been about two months since the incident and Tai was finding himself damn lucky to even get a chance to hold Yamato in his arms for any length of time. Taichi was a patient man, at least he saw himself as such, but trying so hard to get close and take care of a man as distant as Yama was starting to drive him batty.

"Yama," He sighed and spared his friend a glance as they slid to a stop in front of a red light. "I didn't mean to upset you. I am just worried about you… I want you to get better, but not at the expense of the rest of your body."

The blonde was silent for a moment. His lips tensed as various emotions ran through his mind. Each time he reached this point of confusion and indecision a multitude of emotions filled his heart. Honestly, he felt bad for being such a pain to those around him. However, the idea of sitting back and relaxing seemed pretty humorous. There hadn't been a moment of ease in Yamato's body since the second night he spent in the hospital. Every time he tried to lean back and let his mind drift off into sleep flashes of that horrible time in captivity came thundering into his subconscious. And unfortunately for his family and friends, those constant reliving the incident episodes had forced him to become rather nervous and anti-touch. Suddenly, the hugs and kisses of those who greeted him when he came out of the mini-coma had become too much. At this point he could only handle small doses of even Tai's affection.

"I know Tai," He offered the brunette a sympathetic look and presented a phrase he had gotten quite accustomed to, "I'm sorry I have been such a pain."

"I just don't know if my… my fragile heart can take such torment." Tai teased his friend in hopes Yama would break the sullen mood and crack a smile.

Yamato rolled his eyes and pointed a finger behind their heads. "If you're finished with that Oscar-winning monologue, I think the man behind you is about to lose his patience." A genuine laugh escaped the boy's lips as Tai cursed under his breath and offered the other driver a small wave before moving forward.

During the first few days of Yama's status as an outpatient, the duo had discovered Tai's apartment was not built for the bulky wheelchair the singer required. Luckily, or unluckily depending on who you asked, Takeru's home had been designed to perfectly accommodate varying sizes of medical equipment. In front of Tai and the others TK had explained the event to be an act of random luck. Of course, Yama knew that the idea of this all being some form of serendipity was a façade to hide the real reason. When TK's first wife had become ill, the novelist had tried to make every necessary arrangement to allow her to recuperate at home. When the news came that she was most likely not going to survive the disease the designing of the house became even more important. The younger blonde was dead set that his wife would get to spend her final days with her husband and infant. Yama had never pointed it out to his friends, but if you looked closely at some of the wallpaper in the hallways you could see were the lines did not quite match up with the older paper.

Recently, Takeru's home had become the site for wedding central. Which had made the once quite house turn into a loud, overstuffed, and constantly changing environment. All of the noises and people had made the place somewhat uncomfortable for Yama but he found some advantages in the chaos. For one thing, the impending wedding took pressure from him to talk about _feelings_ and other uncomfortable topics. All he had to do was mention the wedding or question some insignificant detail and his mother would run from the room to annoy poor Hikari with repetitive questions.

As they pulled into Takeru's driveway the usual amount of cars were loitering around the house. If there were no news vans intermixed with the other cars, Yama didn't spare any of his already full plate of worry on the possible occupants now in the house. Taichi opened his car door, but did not offer to help the singer out of his seat. He knew better than to try to assist Yamato without being asked. Besides, the boy had held onto his crutches for dear life and was probably biting at the bit to get a chance to walk around on them on his own. Instead of helping his boyfriend, Tai moved to the back of the car and tried to wrangle the collapsed wheelchair out of the trunk.

He saw the blonde wince as some pressure was applied to his hand, and made the decision to test the semi-choppy waters, "Are you sure you don't want to use the cha-"

"My time on the crutches is not over yet." The singer answered the question a little to quickly for both boys' liking.

"Alright." Tai relented and followed behind his slow-moving friend. "Just… don't push yourself to hard. Ok?"

"I promise, I'll be good." Yama tried to offer one apologetic smile to Tai before entering the house.

"Yamato? Is that you?" His mother called from the main living room of the house.

"Yes. Tai and I just got in."

"Oh, come on into the living room. I want to know all about the doctor appointment."

"It went pretty good. Got my crutch-" He paused mid-sentence as the sight of his mother and a few other women came into view. "Uh, mom… What is this?"

The walls were coated in pastel colored decorations and a large variety of snacks were set upon a table on the east side of the room. Taichi shot straight for the food and began piling far to many sushi bites on the tiny plate. Yama noticed a pile of presents sitting at Kari's feet as well as strange amounts of clothes pins attached to the ladies' shirts.

"I think it is a pretty tasty shower." Tai mumbled through a mouthful of snacks.

"Swallow before you choke." Kari chastised her brother and snatched his plate before he could stuff more pieces of food into his mouth.

"How do you know that?"

"Yama, there is a banner on the wall." Natsuko pointed to a table that housed a large congratulations banner and a little tree with various amounts of money clipped to its fake branches. "And I did tell you about it last week. Remember I knocked on your door and told you before I went shopping."

"I remembered." Tai spoke up and stole another piece of shrimp off of the plate Kari held.

"Of course you do. You always worm your way into sleeping in my bed…" Yamato grumbled under his breath, more upset with himself for not remembering something that would have been easy to recall in the past. It was just so hard to keep his focus on things like this now.

"What was that Yama?" His mother missed the message and waited patiently for some decoding.

Not wanting to have the _I might be gay_ speech with his mother in the middle of the bridal shower, the boy switched subjects quickly, "Congratulations on the wedding Kari."

"Thanks Yamato." She slapped Tai's hand away from the plate. "Oh! I forgot to tell you. Sora called the house while you were at the appointment. She wanted me to tell you that her contract obligations are almost over and she is going to come back to see you soon."

"And going to the bachelorette party!" Mimi cheered happily from her spot next to Natsuko.

"I thought you weren't having one of those?" Tai's protective side shifted from Yama to his baby sister.

Yamato took advantage of the sudden lapse of attention and hobbled into the kitchen. He reached into one of the higher cabinets and tried to feel around the back of the wooden space. After Takeru and Tai had raided his cigarette stash, the boy had resorted to hiding a select few around the house. As long as they were placed in spots Takato could never find the singer didn't feel guilty for placing supposedly dangerous items in the house. As his fingers graced something slender and long, a true smile broke out on the boy's face. He pulled the item out so quick that he knocked down a few bottles of seasonings.

"At least one is…" The creature that came out of the cabinet resembled a rolled up sticky note more than nicotine hit. He unrolled the paper and furrowed his brow at the message that greeted his eyes. "We agreed you would quit. Thank you for following through. Tai."

"Oh," Speak of the devil, "Thought you had already found that and said nothing."

"Trust me," The singer rubbed his temples in exhaustion, "I would have said something."

To make a semblance of amends, Tai reached into the fridge then handed Yamato a bottle of water. He had a pretty good idea of why the blonde was suddenly searching for his favorite vice. Once Yama had awaken from his mini-coma, as Tai called it, Sora had been somewhat distant. She had stayed by the boy's hospital bedside as long as she could, but even Taichi could see that there was something different in her eyes. After Sora left to fulfill her contract obligations, Tai had taken some time to fill Yamato in on all the things he had missed between Tai and Sora. Once it was all out in the open the boys began to figure that she must have connected the dots. The last thing Yamato wanted was to leave his friend to find out these things through the grapevine. But it wasn't like he had been given much of a chance to sit her down and talk about their _feelings._

"I owe her some kind of explanation." Yama mused as Tai dug his own water bottle out of the fridge.

"You know her better than I do Yama, but do you think that is the best idea?"

"What other choice do I have? She has been my best friend… among other things… for years. I owe her some type of statement."

"You know this isn't a court case right? You don't have to testify about things and give evidence" Maybe it was his mixed relationship with Sora getting in the way, but his main concern was Yamato. There was no way this could end without Yamato feeling guilty, Sora feeling crushed, and Tai being left in a state of worry.

"I owe her to not wimp out and run away a second time."

Taichi was silent for a moment, an event so rare few believed it actually could happen. He respected Yama's determination to do the right thing by his friend just not the boy's reasoning. Of course at this time and place in the universe the brunette was tired of hitting his head against the brick wall known as Yamato's stubbornness, so he focused on a more pleasurable idea.

"You know," He edged closer to the boy and gave him a slow kiss on the lips. Although he hated it, the boy's brain retained a rather vigilant watch for any signs of discomfort in his boyfriend. Since the incident, Yamato had been a bit flighty when it came to physical affection. "Once you get good with the crutches, we could try spending some time at casa de la poorly designed."

"Depends," The blonde smirked against Tai's lips, "Has the owner of casa poorly designed figured out how to do laundry yet?"

"One set of boxers on the couch and you go clean freak." He tried to add some force to his playful attack by giving the blonde a firmer kiss.

"It was the mountain of clothes those boxers escaped from that was frightening."

"Boys!" Natsuko's voice busted the boys' bubble and sent them to opposite sides of the room. "Come say goodbye to the guests."

"She is on the list to tell as well, right?" Tai peeked his head out of the kitchen and spotted Natsuko's group starting the process of leaving the living room.

"In the top twenty." Yama answered, earning a look of confusion from his boyfriend.

**XXX**

When the guests had left and Natsuko had disappeared upstairs to ready Takato for bed, the rest of the adults found themselves cleaning up the remains of the shower. With his doodle-covered cast resting on the coffee table Yama busied himself with reading the names of who had given which gift to Kari. TK attempted to pick up all the small pieces of trash that had littered the room like fallen snow. And a semi-steady Taichi tried to haphazardly pull the higher placed decorations down from the walls. It was generally a quiet affair with Kari being the only one to break the calmness by chastising Tai for swallowing insane amounts of leftovers.

"At this rate, you won't have any room left for wedding cake."

"I think I'll be hungry again by the time the wedding rolls around. Five months would be a pretty long time to go without eating." He chuckled at his own joke, swallowed a brownie bite, and noticed his baby sister remained rather deadpan. "What is it Kari?"

"Oh, no it's nothing. I'm just tired after the party."

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way, sis." Tai moved forward and watched the frail brunette like a hawk. "Did you two have a fight or something?"

"We didn't fight." TK spoke up and wondered if Taichi truly had a hard way to deal with any situation. "Actually, we were just talking about moving the wedding date up a little bit."

"If you change the date you might lose your florist, caterer, location… and why do I know these things?" Yama sighed and leaned back in his chair. Maybe he shouldn't have read so many of Kari's wedding magazines while stuck in the hospital.

"Well this is my second marriage and we don't really need all the fanfare. Besides, we can use the money we save on a family vacation or something." TK shrugged, thinking his explanation was good but also knowing it probably wouldn't quench Tai's thirst for information.

"This might be your second time, but this is Kari's first. Don't you want all the girly gooey stuff, sis?"

"It's just that not important anymore." The couple shared a knowing smile and Yamato's eyes grew wide.

"You're pregnant?"

"Actually-"

"Wait, wait, wait," Tai interjected. "No one said anything about being pregnant."

"You won't let anyone Tai," Kari giggled and rubbed her still flat stomach. "But yes, we should be meeting a new member of the family a few months from now."

"That's great!" Taichi shouted before realizing a child was trying to sleep above their heads. "I'm gonna be an uncle and you'll have a baby and…and…and…"

Yama raised a confused eyebrow, "And?"

"You slept with my baby sister!" The brunette turned on TK, leaving the other two adults to sigh in exasperation.

"I… uh… thought…" TK backed into a corner thanks to Tai's advancing steps.

"Really, Taichi?" Yama shook his head and tried to talk down his boyfriend. "They have been dating for years and in this day and age most people can barely stay together for the length of a television program."

"But my baby sister…" Tai groaned and rubbed his temples in hopes the horrendous images that were now flashing through would be erased forever.

"Look Hun, all that matters is that Takeru and I love each othe-"

"So? Yama and I are just like that and we haven't done anything!"

The singer groaned loudly and buried his head in his hands, "Really? We had to go there?"

"Okay," TK held up his hands to try and bring some order to the chaos. "Let's start this over. Kari and I are going to have a baby. We don't want to have to worry about juggling a wedding and an infant so we are going to have a small wedding and save the rest of the money for the baby. Oh, and we aren't telling mom just yet."

"Your not telling mom about the baby? How are you going to sell her on changing the date without that fact?" Yamato pushed his embarrassment aside as best he could and leaned back in his chair. As long as Tai kept his mouth shut, the evening might end without total mortification.

"It's our wedding. She'll have to respect mine and Kari's wishes."

"She'll respect it. She'll respect the truth right out of you."

Well prepared to play this game with his big brother, TK crossed his arms and rebutted, "Did you tell mom about you and Tai?"

"You first. I think yours might be a little more time sensitive."

TK bit his lip and sat down on the arm of the couch. For someone who had spent little time with their mother, Yamato could play the deal game pretty well. Of course, the woman had drowned the poor man in attention these last few months. She had smothered him to a point where the mere sound of her voice could send his eye into a twitching fit. If they were going to play fair, Yama did deserve a break from Natsuko. Not to mention he was still in the depths of recovery from a painful experience. Out of pity, which he would never admit to his prideful brother, Takeru decided to take a dive.

"Alright, we will tell mom first. But only when the time is right."

"Hey TK."

"Yeah?"

Yamato pointed to a slumped over Tai who was mumbling some unintelligible remarks to himself, "The money you save on the wedding, might need to go towards a therapist for Tai."


	2. Emotion Filled Yogurt

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. **

**Okay, so I kind of took a break from this story. A very, very long break. I re-read the old chapters from the first tale and think I might be ready to slowly complete this tale. I also think you guys were awesome for putting up with my typos lol. I am trying to figure out how to edit the chapters without having to take the first story down, but I have not figured that part out yet. Anyway, here is the next chapter for this tale. I hope you like it!**

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_He couldn't move. _

_It was the one thought constantly reverberating through his brain. The notorious roughness of plastic ties kept his ankles and wrists together like a pig hogtied for slaughter. Underneath his body was a plastic tarp that rustled with each panicked breath heaving its way out of his lungs. How had he gotten back here? This wasn't real. It could not be real!_

"_Hi, Dove." _

_The simple statement forced an actual cry of fear from his lungs. As the dark eyes peered into his face, an onslaught of memories began to wash over the boy in painful waves. His heart banged against his rib cage in a sporadic pattern, as if it was ready to leap from his chest and leave him for dead. The face of his nightmare monster began to twist in grotesque manners as it came closer and closer. Suddenly, the black eyes began to glow with a strange aura and the mouth opened to reveal rows of razor like fangs. The mouth lowered onto his as he let out one more feral scream._

"No!" The word tumbled out of his mouth unintelligibly, coated with a thick layer of sleep.

It took a moment, but the room came back into focus. Beside him a shirtless Taichi lay haphazardly across his half of the bed. His mouth was hanging open slightly, allowing his normally quiet snoring to raise in volume. For the first few nights of Yamato's outpatient time, Taichi had been on edge. He had woken up each time the blond even sneezed at night. After a few more weeks of sleepless nights, Taichi had learned to become a harder sleeper. Yamato didn't blame him in the slightest. Taichi hadn't lived the life of stress and no sleep as long as his boyfriend had. Yamato was an old pro at this game. Besides, at least one of them deserved to get a little sleep.

Guess this night is shot." He glanced at Taichi's face and watched the boy let out a louder snore, before shifting to the side facing the wall. Yamato silently laughed and attempted to pull himself out of the bed without bothering Tai, "Night sleeping beauty. The prince is going to catch the four am news."

Maneuvering down the stairs was not easy. Heck, it was one of the hardest things he had ever attempted with crutches and an injured hand. Each step brought out a curse word from his manual of sailor vocabulary locked tightly in the back of his brain. Had he been in better spirits and time frames, he probably would have noticed he had a different word for each of the many steps. Of course, four in the morning was no time to be admiring, or worrying, about his surprisingly large vocabulary of obscenities. Instead, he set his sights on the kitchen in hopes something would look appetizing to his stomach.

Midway to the room in question, he noticed a distinct sound coming from the downstairs restroom. His hand was still throbbing, but he could not let a strange noise go unchecked. After all he had been through it would be stupid to leave any stone unturned. What if it was another crazy man? What if Maro had escaped from the facility?! His good hand clutched the crutch tighter, ready to attack if the need arouse.

"Alright." He cleared his throat and hit the door with one of his crutch tips, "I know you're in there. Come out now and I might go easy on you."

The door handle jiggled, Yamato's heart leapt into his throat, and a brunette stuck her tiny apologetic face out of the room.

"Hikari?" His muscles unclenched and his heart sunk back down to its normal resting place.

"I'm sorry." She walked out of the bathroom, still clutching the hand towel she had used to dry her hands, "Did I wake you up?"

"No… no," Yamato shook his head and tried to awkwardly move the situation along, "I'm, uh, just getting a snack."

"Mind some company?" She grinned happily at her future brother-in-law and seemed genuinely pleased when Yamato nodded in acceptance of her offer.

Once Hikari had pulled in a chair from the dining room for Yamato, she opened the fridge and began listing off the various options. Since he hadn't expected to actually go through with the snack, the boy just mumbled yes to one of her options. She handed him a container of yogurt and a spoon then pulled out a bowl of pre-washed grapes for herself. With everyone set-up, Hikari hopped into one of the tall bar stools.

"Thanks." He eyed the yogurt wearily, but didn't have the heart to ignore it since Hikari had gone through the trouble of helping him out this early in the morning. After a single spoonful, he set the cup on the counter and turned his attention to her, "Why are you up so early anyway? And using the bathroom down here?"

"Takato had a nightmare and wanted to sleep in Takeru's room. I wasn't feeling that well, but I didn't want to wake them up so I just came down here. Still, not used to this morning sickness stuff."

Her explanation didn't surprise Yamato. Of all the people he had met during his many travels, Yagami Hikari was possibly the most considerate. She was more than willing to bend over backwards to keep the people around her happy. He had watched her try to please many a parent, angry over something in their child's school performance. She had always kept her voice calm, collected, and professional. He couldn't recall a single parent who had walked out of Hikari's office area with a frown still plastered on their face.

The giving nature she harbored had left her with quite a few issues. Yamato knew that Hikari had worked over-time a multitude of days to try to meet every unrealistic goal thrown her way. People often found ways to use Hikari's forgiving and peaceful nature against her in Yamato's opinion. He hated watching the parents treat her like a doormat, but she had never put one of them in their place. After all the years she had lived on this Earth Hikari seemed to still house the belief that her kindness would become infectious. As if there was some way to instill a smile and compassionate spirit into every sour face she passed. He sometimes wished he could follow her mentality, but the ship of trust for your fellow-man had pretty much left the station for him.

"You'll be a great parent." He mumbled off-subject as another spoonful of yogurt worked its way down his throat.

"Thank you. You know, you don't have to eat that if you don't want to."

"What? No, this is…" He stared at the goopy substance and sighed in defeat. "Not that great of an actor, huh?"

Hikari laughed and threw the rest of the yogurt away, "Yamato, I have known you for long enough to realize what foods you hate."

"Then why did you give me the yogurt?"

"To see if you would actually eat it." A childish grin creeped onto her face and the boy let out a small laugh. "Besides, the rest of us have a pact to never turn you down if you actually ask for something to eat."

The laughter slowly stopped as Hikari admitted the housemates little pact. Yamato knew they were worried about his habits. Sleep, eat, go into the world of the living, Taichi had pretty much covered them all. As far as Yamato was concerned, the habits in question were improving. He ate at least once (sometimes twice) a day, managed to get rest from small naps when he became too exhausted to stay awake, and ventured out enough to know what the weather was like for the day. It was just easier to stay in the same place. This place was safe. He knew each possible hiding position and kept every door and window locked up tightly. There were no surprises in this house. Goodness knows, he had already gone through enough surprises to last a lifetime and more.

"Are you worried about Sora coming this morning? Well, later this morning?"

The question caught him off-guard, something Yamato did not like to be at any point in time. Sora hadn't been kidding when she told Hikari that she would come see Yamato soon. It turned out her version of soon was the day after she mentioned her visit. All he had been able to get out of her, through their few texts, was that she would be landing mid-morning on Tuesday. Honestly, he wasn't sure why she was being so cryptic with everything. When they had dated he always knew he was in trouble when she refused to talk to him. If she was royally pissed at him now, on the visit when he planned to tell her about Taichi, he was screwed before her plane even hit the runway.

"A little," He figured there was no sense to try to hide what he was thinking at this point.

"You're worried about what she will think about you and Taichi?"

"Pretty much." Yamato sighed and leaned his head against the chair back rest, "I do love her you know."

"I know."

"I don't want to hurt her."

"Then tell her the truth." Hikari handed him a grape and let her angelic smile wash over his lost-cause mentality. "It might hurt, but it will probably hurt a lot less than running from her. If you love someone, anyone, you have to risk opening yourself to them. If you love her, trust her to handle this."

She knew that Sora was smart enough to piece together context clues. The real question was whether or not those boys realized how many clues they left in their wake. Even before Yamato had woken up in the hospital, Sora had already had an inkling of what was going on. Sure, she hadn't outright told Hikari that she knew Yamato was gay or with Taichi. But the way she had spoken about her relationship with the blond had been full of emotional clues. She knew something was going on, just not what that something was.

"You-" Yamato paused in mid-sentence as Hikari covered her mouth with her hand, "Are you okay?"

"Excuse me." She mumbled and raced off to the bathroom once again.

"Ugh," He grimaced in pity for his friend and tried to avoid the sounds coming from behind the bathroom door. "Who would have thought something so wanted and exciting could bring you to that level of nausea?"

**XXX**

The airport was crowded. The paparazzi were in full swing. Taichi was pushing his wheelchair while Hikari and Takeru brought up the rear. On his lap sat the notorious pair of crutches. Everything was normal and yet nothing really was.

In mere minutes he was going to see the face of his first love, who was probably already waiting to slap him upside the head. He hadn't decided if she would be verbal about her anger or silent, but he had realized that silent was definitely scarier. The one thing that kept him grounded at the moment was the half pack of gold in his pants pocket. He had discovered the only pair Taichi hadn't been able to get his mitts on, and was keeping them hidden as long as he could. It wasn't fair for the health nut soccer player to ask him to do all the rehab and rebuilding of his life without something to take the edge off. The prescription pain meds just didn't cut it when his brain screamed for a nicotine hit.

"There is her entry gate." Takeru pointed to the other side of the airport.

"How do you know that? You didn't even see her text to Yama." Taichi shifted the wheelchair and headed in the direction before an answer was given.

"I'm guessing it is the signs with her name on them, that tipped him off." Hikari giggled, enjoying her nausea free moments to their fullest.

"Aren't you observant?" Taichi stopped the chair as they neared the edge of the welcoming crowd and teased his baby sister good-naturedly.

As the siblings began their playful banter, Yamato put the tips of his crutches on the floor and eased himself out of the chair. He was determined to greet Sora on his own two feet. He didn't consider himself a normally proud individual, but there was something special about this reunion. The last time she had seen him, he had been bound to a bed or wheelchair. Now that he could stand upright for periods of time, or all the time if he could get Taichi to leave him alone on the subject, he was determined to do so in front of her.

This simple act brought a new level of normalcy to the situation. It forced the memories and feelings about the stalker incident to quiet if only for a few minutes. He was still broken, but standing on his own left him a little less broken than before. He found himself silently hoping that Sora's fear about the incident was alleviated when she saw him standing. Mad or not, he knew in his heart the girl loved him too. In his bones he knew that she had been as scared as Taichi during the ordeal, but she hadn't gotten the chance to relieve that fear. Taichi had been able to spend nights by Yamato's side, but Sora had been halfway across the country with only e-mail updates. Somewhere between the sordid emotions of telling her the truth, he knew she would need the same reassurance Taichi had. Sora needed the comfort and assurance of a physical embrace. He just hoped his already edgy mental side could handle the embrace.

"Oh my,"

Yamato looked up from his crutches and tried to see what had grabbed Hiakri's attention.

"Who is that?"

Purple hair hit his eyes first and caused the start of a stomach convulsion. Burns in various levels of healing covered a great deal of the skin her clothing did not cover. Yamato covered his mouth with his good hand and stumbled on the crutches. How the hell had Sora not told him about this?! Inside his gut the acid sloshed and forced him to try to swallow against the urge to vomit.

"Yamato?" Taichi rested a hand on his back and tried to steady the boy on his feet. "What's wrong?"

"Her…" He tried to mutter a response, but couldn't form a comprehensible sentence.

Sora wheeled the chair through the crowd and noticed the people who had been watching them were now turning away. It didn't bother her that the fan were not interested in her walking around an airport. Actually, it was a nice change from being photographed buying tampons or running on the treadmill. But welcomed or not, it was strange. The fact the fans all seemed to be turning their heads to look at a particular spot in the crowd made the situation even weirder.

As someone started to panic and stumble through the crowd in a hurry, she stepped on her tiptoes to try and get a better view. Within seconds she spotted a very familiar blonde hair-do. As Yamato broke through the main throng of people she was able to see him stumble for all he was worth towards the bathroom. For someone who had never used crutches before, he was kind of good at it.

"Sora-san!" Hikari called out to the girl and her companion, as Taichi ran after Yamato. "Over here!"

When she reached Hikari and Takeru on the other side of the crowd, the group began to make their way over to the restrooms. They didn't discuss the subject at first, since each member was busily focusing on their own beliefs about causality. But it was impossible to stay silent when they reached the bathroom and had to wait for Takeru to give the females an update.

"I don't understand it." Hikari furrowed her brow in worry and sub-consciously rubbed her flat stomach, "He was doing fine and then suddenly he looked like he was feeling sick and just ran off."

The chair-bound member of the group cleared her throat gently and looked into Hikari's eyes, "I'm afraid I might be the reason for that…"

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**Okay guys and gals! We have a new chapter finished (although it is a little short this time lol). I didn't use many break marks this time because I think it is clear enough to understand the view changes in this chapter. Feel free to tell me if it isn't. I am pretty sure anybody who read the first story will know who is the new group member. Hope it was a good chapter for everyone. Have a great day!**


	3. Once more with Opinions

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. **

**Thanks for welcoming this story back so warmly guys and gals! I wasn't able to send out a thank you to Zaviour personally, so here is your official thanks for reviewing! **

**This chapter has been one I have looked forward to writing for a long time. We will see if I still love it by the time it is published lol.**

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Why was it the one time Ishida Yamato desperately needed to pace he was unable to walk even a straight line? There had to be some type of intergalactic ploy in the works to make this moment even worse than it already was. He had long ago opted to sit back down into the chair and forgo any more crutch use. At this point he wasn't sure if he would ever use them again.

It wasn't fair to his dear friend and agent to watch him hobble around on those crutches. Miyako would never get the chance to run along the beach or simply dance on her own two feet at her wedding. What kind of world would do this to a woman like her? How could fate be so cruel? No, how could _he_ be so cruel was the better question.

Sure, he hadn't been the one to plant the bomb, but that hardly excused his guilt in the event. The whole incident had been because of him. If Miyako had eaten with any other client that day, she would have been able to walk out of that restaurant and go about her life. But all because of his stupid decisions and the damn stalker she was now dealing with horrible amounts of pain. As far as Yamato was concerned, he didn't deserve to walk on his own feet again.

"I am glad to see you Yamato-kun." She spoke softly, in an attempt to not anger the burns on her face by movement.

He pulled himself from his musings to take a good look at her. Until now, he had been unable to process even the thought of looking into the eyes of his injured friend. Heck, the first time he spotted her in the airport the guilt had shoved his small breakfast violently out of his system. It had taken all of his self-control and a small, but firm, pep talk from Taichi to get him out of the bathroom and to Takeru's backyard porch. Miyako hadn't said a word to him on the entire ride back to Takeru's home. Personally, Yamato wasn't sure if she was mad, concerned, or just in too much pain to speak.

As he examined her face, with a slightly tougher stomach, he noticed the right side was covered in a large pink scar. It was impossible to see how far back the old burn injury went because of her hair. The purple locks were shorter than he had ever seen before due to the multiple hospital procedures she had endured. On her forehead was a separate pink scar coating half of the space. He assumed she was growing bangs to cover the wound, since she had a small bit of fringe at the top of her hairline. Maybe, in some sick bittersweet way, Miyako had been fortunate? Most of her injuries were lower on the body, leaving her face surprisingly clear for the type of incident she had survived. He noted her hands were covered in some kind of medical gauze that looked surprisingly similar to the stuff on his hand. The rest of her body was a mystery since she had chosen to wear a loose sweater and khaki slacks. In the back of his mind he wondered how healed the rest of her body was, but he wouldn't dare voice the question.

"I'm glad to see you too…"

He pulled one of the cigarettes out of his pocket and tried to light it. The mere sight of the object sent his body into a craving stronger than he had ever felt before. He needed the nicotine hit and he needed it NOW. Unfortunately, his fingers were not receiving the same message as his lungs. His hand shook as he tried to light the cancer stick and forced him into multiple attempts. He finally got the flame to stay on long enough to light the smoke and his finger.

"Damn it." He grumbled under his breath and sucked on the tip of the sore digit for a second. Of course, as quickly as he had stuck it in he pulled out the finger and put in his favorite vice.

"Are you okay?" She watched him with a look of curiosity, concern, and slight amusement.

"Just burne-"

Her brow furrowed as he stopped in mid-sentence and looked away from her face. She knew Yamato was feeling anxious, but they couldn't keep going on like this. She wasn't dead! Why couldn't he see that she was happy to be alive? Things could have been far worse than they were. She could have missed all this time with her loved ones. As far as Miyako was concerned, she was one of the lucky ones. Few people could survive the amount of injuries she had received. So she was in a wheelchair for the rest of her life? There were worse things than not being able to walk.

"Yamato," Her voice was firm and she waited till he looked her in the eyes to continue, "I'm okay. I promise."

He nodded his head very slowly and fought at the strange desire to let tears roll down his cheeks.

**XXX**

"What is going on out there?" Taichi looked out the window from the living room and tried to figure out what the duo were discussing. Or in this case, thinking. He hadn't seen either of them open their mouths in the past ten minutes.

"Taichi, they need time to talk. They haven't seen each other since the car incident." Takeru looked up from the board game he and Takato were playing to look at the snoop.

"Exactly." Sora agreed firmly and pulled Tai away from the window by the back of his shirt. "You can't watch them like a zoo exhibit."

The blinds snapped back into place and Taichi stumbled backwards. He shot Sora a small-annoyed face, but the girl ignored it and sat on the couch beside Takeru. The only thing more puzzling than the patio discussion was the complete lack of interest the rest of the house had in the patio discussion. Why was he the only one who wanted to know what was going on? They all knew Yamato had been reduced to a puddle of crazy after seeing Miyako the first time. Didn't that warrant a little more interest then wishing the two a nice chat?

Hikari looked up from her pregnancy resource book and noticed that her brother was unable to sit still. It seemed very Taichi to her. If he loved someone he wanted to fight every battle for him or her. It was common sense, but not that good of an idea. She knew first hand how invasive the brunet could become when he spotted any sign of injustice directed towards someone he loved. Heck, her first boyfriend had pretty much disappeared from her classes when Taichi had found out he had cheated on her. She always wondered what Tai had done to the boy, but he would never tell her the details.

"Can we show Sora-san my new Digimon blanket you got me?" Takato, apparently having grown tired of the game, tugged on Hikari's sleeve and heart.

"Sure." She smiled at the child and looked up to Sora, "It is right upstairs in his bedroom."

When the two women had left the room with Takato, Takeru busied himself with packing up the game. He stopped messing with the various multi-colored pieces when he heard the blinds rustle once again. Taichi was relentless in most things in life, so it stood to reason he would be relentless when it came to spying. If Yamato caught the boy he was definitely going to be in deep, deep trouble. People as anxiety filled as his older brother, were not the ones you should aggravate.

"Taichi," He stuck his two-cents in, if only to save the brunet from a painful death at the hands of Yamato, "You should give Yamato a little space. He will tell us what he wants to when he is ready."

"How can you be so calm?" Tai left the window after one more look and sat on the coffee table.

"What do you mean?"

"I just don't understand how you can sit here. This is your brother, aren't you at least concerned?" The words were probably a little more blunt than he had intended, but Taichi's headfirst method of life didn't usually include prior consideration of others before opening his mouth.

The words stung Takeru and forced him to sit up straighter. He had been rather patient with everyone involved in their family life, but Taichi's comment had sliced his calmness. Of course, he loved his brother. Yamato was one of the most important people in his life and Taichi, a sibling himself, should fully understand that. Just because he didn't yell as loud as the brunet did not mean he cared any less.

Taichi was just a different person then Takeru. He hadn't lived through the same issues or problems as the blond. It was strange to imagine himself as more mature than a man years older than him, but Takeru felt it was a pretty accurate statement. Taichi was smart and brave and loyal, but he wasn't exactly experienced with emotions. It was far from vanity that Takeru considered himself more mature, it was looking back on the moments of his life that pushed the thought. He had no choice but to become the more mature and responsible person Taichi saw before him.

When Hatsumi, the first love of his life and Takato's mother, had been diagnosed with cancer Takeru had been as crazed as Taichi was over Yamato. He could easily remember flying into fits of rage and tears when a dark cloud had overshadowed the start of his beautiful family life. Watching the woman he loved become sicker and sicker while they tried to take care of a newborn had been the hardest thing in his life. Just like his future brother-in-law, he had been completely shocked that the world hadn't stopped turning. How could people go about their lives as if a brilliant person was not being lost bit by bit? How could people go out and laugh with friends when someone so special was in so much pain?

He had been so wrapped up in fear for his wife he had failed to realize that seeing him so stressed was hurting her. Hatsumi had been the one to push him towards counseling, and honestly he had been reluctant to go. Takeru didn't have any grievances with the mental health world, he just hated the idea of leaving his wife's side to talk about his own feelings. She deserved a chance to talk to someone like that far more then he did. But in the end, he had agreed, if only to try to make his love happy.

An idea began to form in Takeru's head as he glanced over at Taichi. He wasn't sure if the boy would go for it, but maybe a little prodding would help the subject. He just had to approach the subject in the right way. If he could plant the seed in the boy's head, who knows where it would go?

"Of course I am concerned about Yamato. But I have to give him his space and trust he will come to me when he is ready. Help isn't nearly as effective if the person isn't ready to accept it."

"What about Takato? Isn't seeing his uncle like this scary for the kid?"

"Sure it is," Takeru admitted honestly and offered Taichi a kind smile, "But, he knows he can talk to me if he has any questions. And he goes to see a therapist who is one of the best child psychologists in the country."

"A therapist?"

The word left Taichi's mouth with an odd taste. He knew that there were therapists for trauma victims like Yamato and Miyako, but he hadn't expected Takato to be the one to visit one. As far as he could recall, Takato hadn't been too scared during the incidents. Sure, the little guy had been upset. But a therapist for a five-year-old?

"Yes. He went a few times after Yamato went missing and came back. She offers a professional opinion on how he is doing and I can make sure I am doing everything in my power to keep him happy and safe."

"Did you go to one?"

This time the brunt question brought forth a bittersweet smile from Takeru, "Yes. Before my wife… Well, I started going when she was sick. And went back for a few visits after Yamato's incident."

Taichi thought on the subject for a moment, then charged ahead a little slower than before, "But you weren't the one sick or hurt either time, right?"

"Taichi," Takeru was almost sure he could spot the same hidden guilt in the brunet's eyes that he, himself, had harbored ages before, "When someone in your family is hurt, everyone is a little hurt. We aren't solo creatures; we need each other in the good and bad. And really, the bad works the same way as the good. You feel their joy and you feel their pain."

**XXX**

The silence was beginning to drive Miyako insane. Although she had no watch with her, due to the fact her sore wrists could not take the pressure, she was willing to bet at least twenty minutes had gone by. Yamato was on his second cigarette and the constant sounds of him inhaling and exhaling were beginning to eat at her last shred of patience.

"Yamato," She watched him slowly refocus on her face, "I know it has been a while, but you do remember conversations require talking out loud, right?"

He took one more drag on the cigarette then snubbed it out on the concrete. He wasn't sure what had gone through Miyako's head during the silence, but he had tried desperately to come up with something to say. Should he mention the incident? Should he apologize? Was there even a way he could ever fully apologize to her? No, he knew that answer was a big fat, never.

"Alright," She refused to wait any longer in his pool of anxiety and fear, "I'll start. Read any good books lately?"

The question was so absurd and unexpected that an actual, honest laugh escaped the blond's lips.

Miyako smiled as wide as she could, "There. That is the Yamato I came to see. He is much more pleasant than the sad chain-smoking Yamato."

"Miyako, I…." He rolled a new cigarette between his hands nervously before spitting out, "I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too, Yama-kun."

This time he stared at her in confusion. What could Miyako have to be sorry about? She hadn't done anything. In fact, she was one of the most innocent victims of this horrible mess.

"Why?"

"Why are you sorry?" She countered with accuracy.

"Well… because I put you in front of a car bomb…. It hurt you and now you're in pain… and… its all my fault."

Although it hurt her rather badly, Miyako rolled her chair a few feet forward and took hold of Yamato's hand, "Yamato, my friend, when are you going to realize you are not a perpetrator and I am not a victim? _We_ are survivors."

He tried to return her loving smile, but couldn't push his facial muscles to form such a gesture.

"You didn't cause any of this. I told you that before and I will keep telling you that till you get it through that thick head."

Slowly, what was left of Yamato's outer front began to dissolve. He could feel tears of guilt and remorse well in the corners of his eyes, but he didn't care if Miyako saw them. Instead, he gently clutched her hand and finally let himself open a little.

"I don't get it. I mean, after everything… your family still tried to call me and invite me to see them. After I had been there when their daughter was injured, they still tried to check on me. As if I was anywhere near as hurt as you."

"You know that you are like another son to them, right? They care about you Yamato and they knew that the bomb couldn't be your fault in any shape or form. I can't tell you how many times my parents told reporters what an upstanding man you are."

"I'm sorry…" He repeated his pitch starting to fail at remaining stable, "I should have gone to see you. I should have gone right to your hospital bed. I'm so sorry I ran away from everyone, but especially you."

She kept her gentle smile as she watched him begin to crack and reveal his true emotions. Yamato had always been a tough cookie and stress did nothing but add more layers of steel over his emotional side. It was hard to watch him suffer through the guilt and pain, but Miyako knew it was a necessary process. He couldn't accept what she was saying till he dealt with his own demons. And to be honest, she highly doubted this one conversation would be enough to completely cure him of his guilt and remorse.

"Its okay." She patted their held hands with her free one and offered him a stronger smile, "I think I know something that might help, though."

"What?" He spoke up softly and knew he had no real right, in his opinion, to deny what the woman suggested.

"When I first came out of the medically induced coma, I had been as scared and upset as you are. I was terrified about everything and I couldn't see how I was supposed to move on with my life. Everything was so different and I honestly didn't think I could overcome the new obstacles."

Yamato nodded his head slowly, but didn't dare interrupt her.

"And then my doctor introduced me to a psychologist at the hospital who specialized in trauma disorders. I'm still not completely back to my old self, and I may never be, but I've learned I kind of like my new self. She may be burned, but she is pretty cool between you and I."

The two shared a smile and Yamato finally spoke up, "Trust me, the old Miyako is definitely in there with the new."

"And so is the old Yamato." She pulled her hand from his and patted him on the shoulder, "I can't make you go and see someone, but I really think it would help you. Maybe, it would help you find some peace. You deserve it."

He didn't agree with the last line, or most of the middle, or the first one. Ever since the bomb incident, everyone and their dog had told him to go see a shrink. Back when his parents had divorced, Hiroaki had tried to take him to a psychologist once or twice. All he could remember was the woman getting angry when he refused to talk to her and finally pushing him out the door when the sessions proved fruitless due to what she called, 'his complete and utter lack of effort'. If that was what all the head shrinks were like, he couldn't see how it would be that helpful to go to one.

The only reason he hadn't completely denied the offer was the fact it had been brought up by Miyako. As much as her forgiving, or non-blaming, nature comforted him, it wasn't a cure-all. Even if the three pigs didn't blame the wolf for blowing down their house, it didn't mean the wolf hadn't done something wrong in the first place. As the wolf in this scenario, Yamato found himself cornered in an awkward place. He wouldn't dare turn Miyako down, but he could not picture himself talking to a stranger about his feelings. If he didn't tell Taichi and the others those things, what was the point in telling a stranger?

"Yama?" She spoke up softly, fearing she had lost him to his worries again.

"I'll do it…" He bit the bullet and felt slightly rewarded by the tender smile on her lips.

"Really? You'll try it?" He nodded. "A real try? Like at least three months?"

"Three months?" The question slipped out of his mouth with a little too much honest distaste, so he cleared his throat and quickly added, "Sure."

"Thank you, Yamato." She leaned forward and gave him a very soft hug. He wrapped his arms around her carefully and remained in the embrace as long as she wanted. "I didn't think you would like the idea, but I am proud of you for trying."

He sighed softly and tried to remind himself he was venturing into the world of mental health for her. Miyako deserved so much from the world, particularly from him. If he was going to try to make any semblance of an apology to her, he had to play the game by her rules. Secretly, he prayed she would change her mind a_nd_ that the chosen therapist would only require ten-minute sessions max.

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**Okay, another chapter down. I kind of liked this one because it offered Takeru a character moment. The lovely Chromate and I had talked about how that boy needed a moment to shine, so I was very happy to find a way to give him one. Also, Miyako is a little off for this story. I needed to show her in a changed light. Like Yamato, she has been through quite a lot and has come out with a few more scars (mentally and physically). Hope it was good for you gals and guys! : )**


	4. I like Control

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. But if I did, I would so read fanfiction about my show lol.**

**I am so glad you guys enjoyed the past chapter! Your reviews are very nice to find when I log on. : )**

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The laptop on his good leg was growing hotter by the minute, but Yamato didn't mind the heat. After the full morning it was nice to be able to focus his attention on a specific matter that did not involve sharing long-lost feelings. He would never tell Miyako how happy he was that their therapist conversation had ended, since both had to take the various pain medications the doctors seemed happy to throw at them. Whatever they had put Miyako on was strong enough to force her into taking a rather long nap. According to the clock on the wall, it had been at least an hour and a half since she retired to one of the guest rooms.

He punched a few keys and stared in wonder at the surprisingly long list of therapists available in the area. It seemed ridiculous that this many people had chosen a job where they sat and listened to people complain and rant. What kind of person could go in to work everyday to deal with people so depressive? Besides, he still hadn't figured out how the people could be so willing to share their deepest feelings with a stranger. Wasn't that something their mothers had warned them about in childhood? Stranger danger and all that stuff?

"What are you doing?"

Taichi broke the silence of the room and forced Yamato to glance up from his computer. It was rare to find a quiet moment in the busy house, but Taichi had been surprisingly respectful of Yamato's privacy and alone time after his talk with Miyako. In fact, the boy had been so busy talking with Takeru about something; he hadn't really noticed Yamato come back inside. But now, he was leaning against the door frame of Yama's bedroom with a genuine spark of interest in his eyes.

"I thought you and Takeru were busy talking about something?" He kept his hand still on the track pad; afraid any sudden window closings would alarm Taichi.

"We did. And now, I would like to spend time with the other blond in the family."

Taichi hadn't been to keen on ignoring his pressing desire to pester Yamato with questions about Miyako. It had taken a rather long talk with Takeru to push him into holding back said questions, at least for now. There was only so long the boy could avoid asking the important queries of the day! Besides, at this point he assumed that he had a bit of an in. Didn't the boyfriend get to know all the information the regular public would never know? That had to be part of some unwritten relationship code somewhere.

"Sure. I just have to check something first…" He felt uncomfortable hiding things from Taichi, but he didn't want a giant talk about the fact Miyako had been the voice to get him into seeing a shrink.

As the boy's good hand pecked at various keys with amazing speed, Taichi slinked over to his side and plopped on the bed. He hadn't been able to catch what the title of Yamato's earlier website was, but he did notice quite a few pictures of men and small bios listed beside them. What kind of things could he be researching? The idea that Yamato was looking at other men alerted that small voice of doubt in his mind, but he refused to feed the idea that something bad could be going on in this situation. If past experiences had taught him anything about Yamato, it was that the boy's desire to keep everything secret often led to large, drawn out misunderstandings. He'd keep an eye on the blond, but was not going to jump to any conclusions _just_ yet.

Green lettering caught Taichi's eyes as his boyfriend busily typed in his e-mail address and password. The number beside Yamato's inbox left Taichi floored; 40,000 unread messages. How the hell did anyone acquire that many messages? What did he do, give his address out to strangers on the street and beg for spam?! As he stared closer at the un-opened e-mail list, the boy silently noted that almost each one was sent by a different username.

"How?"

"Hm?" Yamato looked up from the list and noticed Taichi gesturing at the screen with wide eyes.

"How in the world do you have this many messages?"

Yamato blinked for a second as the question rolled over him. It surprised him that Taichi was so… well, surprised about the mail. He knew that Yamato hadn't been able to check it very often and that quite a few of his high-ranking friends had been trying to contact him for a while. Truthfully, the situation shouldn't have been strange unless his mailbox wasn't slightly full with well-wishes and requests. Either way, he wasn't a fan of the bizarre look Taichi was offering him.

"What…" Tai recovered from the shock a few seconds later and pushed forward, "What was it you were looking for?"

This time he couldn't ignore the question. Instead of answering right away, he scanned the page for a name that wouldn't be too hard to look at. He wasn't proud of the fact he had shut himself off from his past world, but it had been the only option at that time. At least, the only option he thought was reasonable at the time. He wondered if the concern and worry his friends had once possessed about him could have shifted when it was announced he was in the hospital. As much as Yamato hated the thousands of headlines about that evil man and himself, they had been a pretty easy way for his old friends to finally hear something about his life. Now, he just had to find a way to shift back into the world. Why did he feel such an overwhelming obligation to apologize to everyone? Did every person who lived through an attack feel this uncomfortable?

"Yama?" Taichi waved a hand in front of his friend as the various flashes of emotions passed over the blond's face. "Are you alright? You seem to be twitching…"

"What?" Yamato blinked, much to Taichi's relief, and clicked on a random e-mail. "I just couldn't find the message I was looking for."

"Who is Wong Rinchei?"

"He is an old director friend I met at one of Sora's parties."

The blonde's eyes finally settled on the e-mail he had selected. It hadn't been sent too long ago and seemed to be pretty lengthy. Although, Yamato would call the man a friend if asked to describe their relationship, Rinchei was more of a common acquaintance. The boys had always ended up standing next to each other at parties when their dates were busy gossiping about random things.

Personally, Yamato had been perfectly fine with standing in silence as Sora talked with Rinchei's wife. That hadn't been in Rinchei's behavior manual, though. The older gentleman had always managed to drag Yamato into a conversation about his current projects. Near the time of the car bomb, Rinchei had looked into the idea of doing a musical film. Yamato had originally been able to avoid the subject of him participating in the film, but now it seemed the idea was back to haunt him.

"He wants to talk to me about a role in some new film. Apparently, the lead is supposed to look pretty beat up," He mentally cursed the man for finding a way to make a profit from his injuries. "And some new 'amazing' actress is determined to do a read through with me."

Taichi laughed suddenly and only paused when Yamato looked at him in surprise, "What? You can't actually be considering doing this?"

His brow furrowed as he tried to dissect Taichi's words, "Why couldn't I be thinking about it?"

"Uh," Taichi's tone turned a little patronizing as he once again spoke without thinking, "You are still recovering, for one. You aren't in any shape to go do a movie. Besides, you freak out when I try to take you to a store. How would you survive a huge movie set with people and tons of new things?"

"I am not exactly _new_ to this type of thing." The words were blunt as their discussion began to escalate.

"You can't do it i-"

"You can't tell me what I can and can't do, Taichi."

The air in the room shifted to a new level of cold as the boys began to fall into their fighting positions. A reasonable person would have been able to see the point of miscommunication with ease; unfortunately a reasonable person was nowhere to be found in the room. Instead, the headstrong and the stubborn-independent scowled at each other in silence and tried to plan their verbal attacks.

"I am not bossing you around. I just know that you aren't ready for this."

If he was being honest with himself, Yamato hadn't expected to take the job offer. That e-mail had just been an excuse to avoid the therapist discussion (aka fight). The only thing that kept him from telling Taichi so was his stubborn side and a desire to retain some independence. The kidnapping had taken a lot away from him, his ability to walk, a leg that didn't require metallic help, the ability to relax or sleep, and a whole slew of other issues. The thing he hated the most, tied with the inability to trust his brain not to go insane, was his loss of independence. Taichi knew how much he detested asking people to reach things for him or push the damn chair so his hand didn't become worse! Why couldn't the brunet grasp the fact that this was still Yamato's life and his own choice, injuries or not?!

"You don't get to make that choice for me, Taichi!" His voice rose, as the mix of medication and stubbornness danced a tango through his better judgment.

"I never said I was making the choice for you!" He moved away from the bed and stared at the blond with furrowed eyes, "Though it looks like I would definitely make a better one then you are going to!"

_Fuck, fuck, fuck_. Taichi's brain finally caught up with the argument and alerted him to what he had just spat out at Yamato. Inside his mind was a continuously changing wheel of emotions. He wanted to give Yamato his freedom and he knew the boy wanted it desperately. But, this whole thing was such a stupid idea! Like it or not, and in this case it seemed hell not, Yamato was still in the beginning of a very long recovery period. If Taichi had any feelings for the musician, he couldn't let him go through with something he couldn't handle. Yamato had freaked out and had the most extreme panic attack Tai had ever witnessed when they took him to a simple convenience store only a week or so earlier. How could this thick-headed boy even fathom putting himself in this kind of position?!

"Look," He tried to take deep breaths to calm the emotional anger in his core, "I would have supported this idea, a little bit, if you would have at least agreed to see someone about your panic attacks and nightmares."

"I'm already doing that!" Yamato's own anger was not hidden as he spoke. As much as he disliked fighting with Taichi, there was something strangely cathartic at finally getting to vent all his pent-up frustration with the world. "Miyako asked me to and I was trying to find one when you came in."

"Wait a minute, I asked you thousands and thousands of times, before and after the incident, to go see someone and you chewed me out. Miyako asks once and suddenly you can't go fast enough?!"

The boys hadn't realized how loud their voices were growing until Hikari and Sora appeared at the doorway. While Sora merely watched the duo in confusion, Hikari's eyes grew wide and she immediately tried to insert herself between the boys. She wasn't sure what had started their fight, but she didn't like the look in their eyes. Until Yamato attempted to climb out of the bed and balance on his good leg, Sora remained by the doorway. Seeing her old friend wobble on his feet and glare with a new level of anger at Tai, forced her into action. She quickly joined Hikari and tried to keep Yamato steady while the female brunet attempted to gently move her brother back a few steps.

"What is going on in here?" Hikari asked, desperate for answers, as Yamato and Taichi continued to shout at each other.

**XXX**

The waiting room for the therapist was devoid of people, minus a couple on the other side of the room. Yamato sat in the uncomfortable wheelchair and rubbed his left temple. He was used to running on little sleep, but after a night of no sleep whatsoever, he was feeling the effects. Inside his temples was a constant pounding that increased when he let his mind drift into thinking about what was going to happen behind that door.

"I'm still surprised he could see us so quickly," Takeru, the only person brave enough and available to escort Yamato to his appointment, shifted in his seat and looked over the book in his lap. "I guess my therapist wasn't kidding about having connections to some of the top people in the field."

"Whoopee…" His brother groaned sarcastically and closed his eyes to try to block out the light of the room.

Takeru remained silent for a few moments. He hadn't been able to focus on his book since they arrived at the waiting room. Yamato had made concentrating nearly impossible with his quiet grumbles and constant finger tapping on the arm of the chair. Since they were children, Yamato had always been the worst of the two at handling doctors. Although Takeru's memories of their life before the divorce were faded, he could easily recall an incident where they had been brought in for booster shots. Most of the memory entailed Takeru sucking on a cherry flavored lollipop while the doctor and Natsuko chased Yamato around the room. That day had ended in tears for the older sibling, and Takeru wondered if this day would be a repeat performance. At least Yamato couldn't run fast in the wheelchair.

Ever since the amazingly loud fight between Yamato and Taichi, Yama had been even more edgy then usual. Taichi had, for the first time in weeks, stomped out of the house and slept at his own place. At least, Hikari and Takeru assumed he slept at his old apartment. When his fiancé had tried to call her brother and check on him, the phone had gone straight to voice mail; a very bad sign. As far as Takeru knew, Taichi would usually drop whatever he was doing to help out or talk to his sister. If he was screening Hikari's calls, he had to be pretty ticked off at the world.

"Yamato," Takeru closed his book in defeat and glanced over at the man grumbling to himself, "You know you are talking to yourself and glaring daggers at a fake tree in a psychiatrists office, right?"

The statement snapped the boy out of his current pout and brought him back to the current conversation, "I just don't like these people."

"Is Taichi one of those people?" Takeru ventured the question carefully, knowing his brother could snap if pushed in the wrong way.

Yamato, surprisingly to Takeru, remained quiet for a few minutes and actually thought about the question. He knew that he didn't hate the brunet, but that didn't mean he wasn't fantasizing about decking him at the moment. It had felt so weird to spend the night alone in his room. Taichi had been by his side for so many weeks now that he almost felt like a permanent fixture. Sure, he had a lot more room on the bed without Taichi hogging half of it, but it didn't feel right for some reason. Taichi had been there for him through so much, and never pushed him into going further into their relationship than Yamato was ready for. Up until last night, it _had_ been pretty smooth sailing. But that still didn't excuse the fact he thought he could make all the decisions for Yamato. _Damn Tai, _the boy thought bittersweetly as he began to realize how attached and intertwined they had become in each others lives.

"No."

The answer was blunt and quick, but Takeru still smiled at the sound, "I'm glad."

"Why?"

"Well," Takeru retained the calm smile as he watched his brother's confusion and surprise, "I think you two are good for each other. A little stubborn and head strong-"

"Yeah, that's Taichi."

"That is both of you, actually." Takeru countered playfully and laughed as his big brother lost the smug grin on his face.

"Then maybe we aren't so great?" Yamato's tone was less serious than before alerting his brother to the slightly playful shift in their conversation. "Opposites attract and all."

"Yes, but similarities stick, oniisan," Takeru grinned at the man and patted his shoulder.

"Maybe… but I still want to smack him upside the head."

* * *

**Ah, smell that? That is growing drama my friends. : ) Sorry, couldn't help myself. I love when characters show their human side and don't float through life with no problems. Makes the story so much better, in my opinion. Anyway, up next we will meet the character behind the psychiatrist's door and see if Taichi and Yamato can make up or break up. Stay tuned boys and girls! And thanks again for reading this story! **


	5. My Mother had me Tested

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.**

**Thanks for all of the lovely feedback my friends. You girls and boys are very kind to read and review. **

**I just wanted to add, in case anyone is a therapist or knows them, if this representation is not completely accurate I apologize. I promise it is all put together in a way to make the story move on the correct path.**

* * *

"Yuto Kazama?" The receptionist called out the fake name and waited for the owner to speak up.

"Right here." Takeru set his book on the end table beside his chair and pushed Yamato over to the desk.

Yamato shoved their ensuing conversation out of his attention span. It was relatively easy since he was unable to think about anything but the impending meeting. There was a chance, admittedly a teeny tiny chance, that he could talk the therapist out of these sessions. Money, celebrity phone numbers, or other posh presents he could offer in the snap of a finger. Now, he just had to hope the man could be bought out. It was crooked and against his morals, but desperate people couldn't be choosy.

Takeru wheeled him into the office after the receptionist opened the door. It seemed the novelist was thinking ahead of his brother, because he made sure the wheel chair breaks were secured before leaving the room. Did he really think Yamato couldn't take off the brakes? No. Takeru was just riding on the hope that it would take the injured boy a long time to complete such a task with his wounded hand. Hopefully, the shrink could get through to his brother before it came to that.

In an effort to avoid making eye contact with his new warden, Yamato pretended he was fascinated by the décor of the room. Bookshelves lined the walls leaving only a small portion of space for the sole window and door. The view beyond the window was shrouded by thick white curtains, which reminded him of the ones from his hospital room. A large faux leather couch and matching loveseat were positioned on one side of the room to stare at a large black chair. On the other side, was a large oak desk littered with pieces of paper and one young-looking man.

"Hello, Ishida-san."

The therapist was of average height with hair that almost held a blue-ish tent in the office lighting. His eyes were the strangest color Yamato had ever seen. They weren't quite blue but they weren't quite grey either. No matter the color, the peculiar eyes were focused directly on him. A fact Yamato did not like in the slightest, since it forced his stupidity and nerves to mingle in an awkward twister of behavior.

"I'm not crazy."

The man laughed very softly and walked across the room to his new client, "I believe you. Would you like help to get to the couch?"

"No." He wasn't giving up his only means of escape for anything. "And wait, what do you mean you believe me?"

"I think you are correct, that you are not crazy."

The man sat down on the black office chair and rolled it closer to Yamato's position. In the blond's mind the wheels were starting to spin at a rapid pace. So far, this therapist hadn't done anything he had expected. If grey eyes were actually telling the truth about believing in his sanity, then he must have realized how preposterous this whole thing was. If you weren't crazy you didn't need a shrink. That was the rule of thumb for these things, wasn't it? Ergo, getting this guy to go away was going to be a piece of cake. Even Miyako couldn't argue with the fact that a therapist had called him cured before the three-month deadline.

"Well then," He fumbled with the wheelchair breaks and attempted to roll away from his current spot, "It was… something. I'll make sure they send you a signed CD. Have a good day."

"Leaving so soon?"

"Well… yeah."

"Interesting."

The look on the man's face disturbed Yamato's confidence. It was hard to pick out what emotion was covering the tanned skin, but he was willing to bet it could unnerve even pompous movie producers. Was this some weird therapist code to make him doubt his own sanity? What could grey eyes mean? There wasn't anything _interesting _about Yamato leaving the appointment. It was normal. Completely, normal. And so were his mental faculties!

"What does that mean?"

"How about we introduce ourselves first?" Grey eyes remained calm as Yamato began to feel his body perspire nervously. "I am Lee Jenrya. I am a psychiatrist who still believes in talk over pills. And you?"

"Do not need any talk or pills." Yamato mumbled under his breath, before clearing his throat and adding, "Ishida Yamato. Singer."

"Ah," Jenrya nodded his head slowly and crossed his legs to settle into the chair, "I have heard some of your work. It is rather impressive. But you haven't put out anything new in a while now. Have you thought about your old job?"

"I believe my question was supposed to be next?"

"Oh, right," A smile formed on Jenrya's lips as he spoke to Yamato, "I think it is interesting that you think just because you aren't crazy you couldn't benefit from talking with someone."

Yamato scoffed slightly and shook his head, "Trust me, I have enough trouble trying to talk to my family about those things. Talking to a stranger isn't going to help or happen."

"So your family is being supportive then?"

"Mostly."

"Mostly?"

Had he noticed the fact they had already slipped into a semi-informative discussion, Yamato would have clammed up instantly. But somewhere between the worry and sleep deprivation his brain had decided to take a nice siesta. The organ that usually kept him up at night by replaying the incidents over and over was now sitting back and watching the moment happen.

"It's just Tai. He's…. he's just being a control freak or something. It doesn't matter."

"Who is Tai?" Jenrya opted to avoid writing down the information since his new patient was a bit skittish, "And what exactly is it that you think he wants to control?"

Yamato wasn't sure how to answer the first question. They had pretty much agreed they were dating, though little else had been established. In all actuality, no one besides Takeru, Hikari, and a few school workers knew about the relationship. Was it a secret for fear of the publics' reaction? Kind of. Yamato was well aware of the events that would follow when, or if, the world found out about him and Taichi. Many relationships had been destroyed by the bloodthirsty world of fame, and he wasn't ready to test their own against such a monster.

"A friend." He chickened out on admitting the true relationship, "He's just mad that I got a job offer. Apparently, he doesn't think I can handle it."

"Do you think you can handle the job?"

With his brain still on a mini-vacation and stubbornness holding his rational side hostage, Yamato answered the question without thought, "Sure. I've done acting before. I can do it again. I'm no different then before."

"Do you want to take the job?"

This time his brain began to slip back into action. Slowly, the levers and gears in Yamato's mind began to switch on and he found himself really thinking about the question. Honestly, he was slightly nervous to put himself back out in the world. If his read through went well and he got the part, he wouldn't be signing on for just a movie. In this case it would include press tours, talk shows, soundtrack recordings, and all sorts of things. It would be like jumping back into the pool instead of walking into the shallow end. Could he do that?

Money was no object. It wasn't like he really needed the part to carry his bills. So what was the benefit? He would get a chance to show everyone that he was still independent and self-reliant. That alone, was an amazing motivator. It would be so wonderful to finally be looked at as a person instead of a pity case. And if the public opinion could sway from him taking a job, maybe Miyako's opinion could change as well? If she saw him returning to a normal life, and he kept mum about the remaining side effects the kidnap left on his psyche, she would be happy again. It would prove he didn't need the therapy and that he could finally be left alone to deal with his wounds the way he wanted. Ready or not, it seemed like he _had_ to take this job.

**XXX**

"I don't get it."

Takato stared at the adults sitting around the table with wide blue eyes. His chopsticks were tapping a beat on the table as he tried to follow the conversation pattern. As far as he could understand, his Oji was going to do something that a lot of people seemed upset about. The most upset was definitely his favorite coach. Taichi kept staring at his Oji with a very confused and kind of upset face. Sora-san and the new lady seemed very happy about Oji's choice. Takato looked to his father and hoped the man would let him know what was going on in the adult conversation.

"What is he gonna do?" Takato pressed the question since no one had answered his first one quick enough.

"Something stupid…" Taichi grumbled under his breath before something hit his shin under the table, "Hey."

Hikari gave him a stern look, before turning to Takato, "Your Oji is going to try to be in a movie."

This simple answer brought a smile to Takato's face. He knew that his uncle was famous, but he hadn't realized that meant he would get to star in a movie too. Of course, since Oji had been working with Takato at school, the little boy assumed that meant he would get to work with Yama at the movie. He hoped it would be about Digimon and ice cream; since that was what his childish brain was obsessing over at the moment.

"I'm gonna work with you on the movie, Oji." Takato smiled and ignored his father's attempts to draw his attention back to the unfinished food on his plate. "I can go to your movie instead of school."

"I appreciate the offer, Takato." Yamato smiled at the child, who ate as much of his dinner as his uncle normally did, "But I think it is important that you stay in school. If I get the part, you can visit my trailer sometimes."

"What convinced you to try out for the part?" Sora asked casually.

After spending the day with Miyako and Hikari, Sora had been more than excited to hear about Yamato's first therapy session. She had meant to text him, but had gotten too caught up in taking her friend to the burn specialist at the local hospital. It was only because of the high reputation of the nearby hospital that Sora had been able to bring the injured Miyako along. It was a perfect plan; Miyako would be able to see the best doctors and Yamato.

The unexpected part of the plan had been the strange behavior of Taichi. Sora had never been on the best footing with the boy, but it seemed like Yamato wasn't either these days. After the fight last night she hadn't seen the brunet till they sat down for dinner. Instead of taking a spot near Yamato, Taichi had sulked over to a seat on the other side of the table. Honestly, Sora was pretty sure the boy had only shown up at the meal because his sister had asked him to make an appearance. It didn't seem right to meddle in the boy's relationship, whatever kind it was, but she had kept quiet when Hikari had called earlier in the day and asked her brother to come over. Maybe, if she was truly honest with herself, it was the desire to finally have a chance to be alone with her friend without the brunet tagging along that had prompted her to let the angry boys meet up. Sora hadn't been in the same town, let alone the same time zone, as Yamato for quite a while. Was it too much to ask to have alone time with her best friend?

"It just seemed like a good choice." Yamato pushed his food around and tried to force himself to sound happier. He had to act like he was normal if this was going to work, "I need to get back into working. It is time to get out there again."

"How are you going to 'get out there' without someone to push your wheelchair?"

Yamato looked at Taichi and noticed an expression of annoyance and exhaustion. It seemed that this decision was really eating away at the brunet's mind. The goal hadn't been to annoy Taichi, but he had apparently succeeded at doing just that. Why couldn't the boy realize that this was Yamato's choice and that like it or not he was going to do it? Even if Taichi didn't support his plan it was still going to be beneficial. Yamato would prove that he could do things independently and was no longer insane. That had to be good for Taichi. With Yamato all better, at least on the outside, Taichi could relax and enjoy being a regular guy again. He wouldn't have to help take care of his injured boyfriend. They could just go out on dates and be regular people.

"I'll mainly be using my crutches. So, it won't be a problem." The answer came out a little snarkier then Yamato wanted, but the childish pout on Taichi's face was starting to annoy him.

"Ruining your hand on the first day of shooting by overworking it? Don't worry, I am sure Rinchei can find a way to exploit that like your other injuries."

"Taichi!" Hikari reprimanded him under her breath and motioned to the child who was watching them with wide eyes.

"Rinchei is directing this?" Sora smiled as memories of her old party days with Yamato came flooding back.

"Yes. Apparently, some new actress is determined to get me involved in this project. The e-mail said he wanted her in the film so he was really hoping I would come and at least read some lines."

"I'll take you. It would be great to see Rinchei again." Sora missed Taichi's souring expression as she focused her attention on the other table members. "Which actress is it?"

"Uh…." He contorted his face slightly as he tried to remember what the message had said, "Aika. Something Aika…"

"I heard about her!" Hikari spoke up as the topic shifted to pop culture. She was not nearly as obsessed as the other teachers at school, but she definitely had a few favorites, "She became famous during that talent contest show. Right?"

Sora nodded her head and smiled at Hikari, "She won that contest with a record amount of votes. You have to see a clip of her work."

"Okay!" Takato cheered happily and wiggled out of his seat.

"I believe you still have some green food on this plate to finish, Takato." His father reminded him.

The group giggled slightly as the tiny boy grumbled under his breath and marched depressively back to his seat.

**XXX**

A few vegetables later and the household settled in front of Takeru's big screen television. Hikari and Takato were nestled on the couch with Sora to their left. Yamato sat next to Sora, leaving a wide space between himself and Taichi who was perched on the armrest. Takeru had watched the group assemble into their spots and noticed how awkwardly they had made their choices. It seemed that everyone but Takato had been secretly watching where the feuding boys would sit. The whole argument was getting a little out of hand, in Takeru's opinion, but he continuously reminded himself that it wasn't his place to interfere. Although, if he thought he could get away with it, he would have sat those two down long ago and had them talk things out.

"Okay," He plugged in the actresses' name to the television's Internet search bar and sat down on the chair beside the couch. "They have two different videos with high ratings."

"Pick the one that says original song." Sora suggested and leaned back in the chair so her shoulder was next to Yamato's. There was something strange about being so close to her old friend. Even though there was nothing sexual or romantic about the gesture, it was impressively comforting to feel his body next to her own. Almost like she was going back to a place she hadn't seen in a very long time.

Takeru selected the clip and adjusted the volume, before leaning back into his chair and watching the woman's performance. The show started out rather simple, Aika walked out on the stage and merely began to strum a soft tune on her guitar. It wasn't until she opened her mouth and let out the first few notes that the room fell into wonder filled silence. Her black eyes remained open as the story of her song began to infiltrate the souls of each listener. The tale was depressing, about a young woman who lost the person she was closest with in the world. But it wasn't the message that left the crowd in silence. It was the haunting way her voice flitted through their eardrums and left them with a sense of mangled hope. As if her love was gone but she knew that in some way she would love again and always keep his memory with her.

Of the household audience, Takeru was easily the most affected by the enchanting woman and her siren song. There was something hidden in the message that only a person who had survived a fatal love would understand. He could easily resonate with the desire to be faithful to a love lost yet also crave to be loved by someone new. In the back of his mind he found himself recalling memories of first dates and stormy afternoons spent under the covers of their comfy bed. He knew his wife wanted him to be happy, but there was always going to be that seed of discomfort when he remembered their love had past.

A sudden touch of his hand, brought Takeru out of his trance and back to the real world. He glanced to the side and spotted Hikari's tiny hand holding his tightly. The caring shimmer in her eyes was lost on the other members of the room, but Takeru could pick it out easily. It filled his body with comfortable warmth and reminded him that he wasn't going to do his first love, or son, any favors by being alone and depressed all his life. Hatsumi didn't want him to be alone. A smile slowly came to his face as he remembered the spicy woman telling him, '_I won't be in heaven if I have to worry about you. I want you to be happy and I know you want me to be happy. If the right someone for you and our baby comes along, don't pass her by. I may have a hand in sending her to my favorite boys._' He hadn't appreciated the full depth of the speech at first, but now that he was looking in Hikari's eyes, he was starting to fully believe that Hatsumi had been one of the forces to push Hikari into his life.

"Wow…" Yamato was the first to speak as the song finished.

"Isn't she good?" Sora smiled at the group and placed a hand on Yamato's knee, "You two will be perfect together. This read through is just a formality for the producers. I know you are going to get this Yamato."

The singer nodded his head slowly and tried to figure out how a happy person would react to the statement. Lately, it had become harder to respond to the various emotional cues his friends and family offered. When most of his conscious hours were busy examining rooms for all possible exits and trying to make it through the day without a panic attack, general emotions fell to the side. Of course, with his new plan in action he could no longer seek comfort in moments of complete shut off from the world. He had to look as confident as possible.

"Thanks. I'll try my best." He managed something that was rather close to a normal smile and noticed every member seemed to buy the expression. Well, every member besides Taichi. The brunet stared into Yamato's eyes so intently, that the boy lost control of his expression and let his smile fade into a more honest look of overwhelming nervousness.

* * *

**Well, I wanted to get one more chapter out before taking a few days off. I need to attend to a serious family matter and will have only a small bit of access to the sight for a day or two. I should have another one up by early next week at the latest. In the next chapter, you can look forward to Taichi and Yamato discussions, a meeting with the mysterious Aika, and other fun surprises. Have a great day! **


	6. Your Heart knows things

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.**

**Thank you guys for reading and reviewing. It means a lot to me. :)**

* * *

Yamato sat up with a start as his phone let out a loud chirping sound. As reality came back to his mind, he instantly regretted letting Takato play with the device's settings. He couldn't recall how he had ended up in the bed, but his mental powers began to increase as the shroud of sleep coating his brain started to dissipate. The new question then became, how had he actually fallen asleep? Sure it had been short and mildly uncomfortable, but it had also been at least an hour of real sleep. Maybe exhaustion was the trick to dispelling nightmares? The closest thing to a dream he could recall was a black void surrounding him. It hadn't been intimidating or welcoming, but it was a refreshing change. He filed the possible cure away in his mind and picked up the chirping phone.

"Hello?"

"Excuse me, is this Ishida-san?"

"Yes." The blond cleared his throat and tried to speak in a more coherent fashion. "It's me."

"I'm sorry to wake you. I needed to discuss something with you before my meeting at two. I didn't realize you would still be asleep."

"Two?" He mumbled mainly to himself. That would explain the sunlight trying to penetrate his black window curtains. "Who is this again?"

"Hida Iori. Your lawyer."

Suddenly the voice began to take the shape of something familiar. It still didn't explain the sudden phone call, but at least it explained the caller's identity. Iori was the youngest lawyer Yamato had ever met. Which was something the young man often told his clients he had heard many times before. The age issue usually flew out the window when people realized how good this particular lawyer was. Despite his childish face, and apparent refusal to completely give up the bowl cut hair-do, he held an impressive case record.

The 'Truthful Samurai' as Miyako had described him to Yamato years ago, was not only good but also particular. In fact, he had requested a day to shadow Yamato before he would even consider signing him as a client. Back in those days, the blond had been new to the scene and completely unfazed by Iori's scrutiny. It had taken Miyako for quite the stress roller coaster, though. He could still recall her freaking out when she accidentally spilled a cup of noodles on Iori's brief case. When she had apologized so sincerely and Yamato had gone, unasked, to purchase him a new case with the last of his first official paycheck, they had made the cut. According to their next meeting, Iori had been so impressed with their humbleness and kindness in the face of growing fame that he wanted to offer them discount services. With Iori on board, the blond had been guaranteed ferocious representation in any legal matters. Until the Maro incident, Yamato hadn't appreciated how beneficial this service could be.

"Oh, sorry." He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and tried to focus on the conversation at hand, "What is going on?"

"Your friend asked me to call and remind you about our meeting tomorrow. I need to talk with you about the case against Tanaka moving closer to a court date. And, I have been told you are planning on going back to work?"

The vile name made Yamato shiver in a nauseating mix of fear and disgust. He swallowed back the bile and managed to slowly continue their conversation, "What friend?"

"Yagami-san. He called me to say that you were probably unaware of the appointment due to being rather overworked and busy at the moment."

"Did he say anything else?" Yama asked, as his disgust was overrun by newfound surprise.

"Well," The younger man paused a moment to make sure he would be able to repeat the words correctly, "He said that if I was any kind of lawyer, I would make sure they put his ass away for torturing you. And then he mumbled something about doing the guy in himself… which as your lawyer I advised him would be a very poor move. I still am not sure if he was serious or not. But he was very adamant that you deserved to have this case finished."

Iori's semi-black-and-white view of justice was not surprising. Things were pretty basic for him and he was willing to swim across oceans to support a client he believed in. That was one of the main reasons so many celebrities tried to contact him. Who wouldn't love a lawyer who refused to believe paparazzi and gossip in favor of the person's own story? Even if the entire country turned against his client, that lawyer would stick up for them and claim they were innocent till the day he died. Iori had once described it, to Yamato, as an unwavering faith in his rigorous client selection process.

The surprising part of the conversation was the fact Taichi had gone through the trouble of contacting Iori for him. As much as he disliked the idea of someone going over his head, he couldn't really blame Taichi this time since he had kind of been ignoring the boy's texts and calls since the day before. How could you remind someone who wouldn't look or listen to you? Even Yamato could see the logic that led to this alternative route.

If he was being honest with himself, it was not a complete surprise to see Taichi take such initiative. That spiky haired boy had been beside him since the day he woke up in the hospital. When Yamato had started losing his memory and concentration skills, due to his brain's overwhelming desire to always be on high alert, Taichi had been there to remind him about medicine or doctor visits. All he had ever asked for in return was the chance to be close to Yamato, and possibly what he called a 'long-overdue first romantic night together'. Taichi hadn't been too subtle about the fact he wanted to have a more intimate relationship, but he had always put the subject off for the future when he spoke about it. There was permanently the add-on condition about Yamato's leg and hand healing before anything big happened. But what meant the most to the blond was the fact Taichi had acknowledged verbally and physically that it might take a while before Yamato was willing or able to let someone be near him in that manner. The incident had been a while back, but Taichi somehow seemed to understand that didn't mean the scars were healed and it wasn't a sign that Yamato didn't care about him. For a normally thick-headed boy, Taichi had really surprised Yamato by his level of understanding in the matter.

As the realizations began to dawn on him, Yama let out a slow sigh and looked over to the first piece of clothing Taichi had offered him. The jersey was old and needed a good wash, but it gave him a strange level of comfort by merely hanging on the doorknob. He could still remember the feeling of rain on his skin and the warmth of Tai's lips. Maybe, just maybe, he needed to talk to the brunet.

"Iori-san, I'll call you back later with more information about the job offer. I need to go do something first."

**XXX**

Hikari sat in her classroom and stared at the bulletin board with deep concentration. They were beginning their segment on water and sea creatures and she wanted to inspire the students with a festive classroom. What could bring the subject to life better than beautiful pieces of art or photographs? Nothing. The only problem with the plan was the dizziness that overwhelmed her when she stood up from the child-sized desk she had been resting on. She was thrilled to be pregnant, but not too excited about the first trimester nasties, as her doctor called them.

"Doing a display about empty spaces?"

Hikari jumped as her brother's voice suddenly floated into her ear. She wasn't sure how he had snuck up on her so quietly, but she assumed it had something to do with his many years in soccer. Taichi had always been the best at hide and seek when they were small children, and the skill had not left his tanned body. "No. I'm just waiting for the dizziness to stop."

A frown quickly spread over Tai's face as he rounded the desk and held her shoulders in his hands. He stared at her with such intensity and protectiveness that Hikari couldn't help but giggle softly. She loved her big brother but he didn't quite grasp the idea of pregnancy. This was definitely not going to be the last uncomfortable symptom she had to go through. If Taichi was going to be this upset over each one then he might not make it through the pregnancy.

"It is okay, Ta-"

"How many fingers am I holding up?" He asked the question so suddenly that she stopped in mid-sentence.

"Uhm… you aren't holding up any fingers."

The realization his hands had never left her shoulders hit the boy and forced a small wave of embarrassment to wash over him. But, he still pushed through, "Not important. The main thing is, I am here and I can carry you to the medical area."

"You don't need to do that Taichi." She took his hands in her own tiny pair and prayed he would listen to her.

"Your pregnant and too dizzy to stand, I think that qualifies as a medical issue."

"I think it qualifies as a pregnancy symptom." She glanced at her desk and then back to her brother, "You can read all about it in the book on my desk, but I don't know if you can handle the photos."

"Actual photos of birth?" He asked with a pale face.

"A whole chapter broken into parts."

Taichi shook his head to try to dispel the information he had just gained. When he had first become curious about where babies come from, his father had rented a rather informative video of a live birth. To this day, he wasn't sure if that was his father's way to ensure he would not become a grandparent too early. In a way it had accomplished that task. The video had been one of the first things to squelch whatever small part of Taichi that may have been straight. The elder Yagami still swore that he had meant to grab the cartoon explanation video. No one in the household ever bought that story, though.

"Shouldn't you be at Takeru's house?" Hikari shifted the subject as her brother began to fall back into a normal looking expression. "Yamato has been looking for you."

"Humph," The boy stubbornly huffed as he tried to picture Yamato changing his opinion on the matter. It was a slim to non-existant chance and Taichi wasn't feeling the need to hear the boy gloat about his new job. "What does he want?"

"If you'll help me with this display, I'll tell you all that I know." She smiled sweetly at her big brother and was overjoyed to see him nod in agreement.

"All Takeru told me was that Yamato stumbled out of his room around two thirty and had Takeru drive him around town."

Taichi nodded silently as he began to paste the different levels of the ocean in order on the board.

"Apparently, they went to every place you usually hang out. Where were you all afternoon anyway? According to Takeru, they checked just about everywhere."

Was he to big of a man to admit that he had been avoiding the blond? Kind of. Taichi knew that he still cared strongly for the singer, but his feelings were still hurt. Yamato had treated him like some kind of random stranger who dared to offer an opinion about his well-being. Didn't the blond realize that Taichi had been the one to watch him lie in a hospital for days? He had left Yamato and Suki alone in that house. He had been the one on guard duty when the kidnapping took place. He had been the one to not beat Tanaka Jin in the head with a rock when they found Yamato in the forest. So many things had gone wrong under his watch, and Taichi was not going to let another slip through his fingers.

"Koushiro wanted help with some computer stuff in the lab."

"You fixed computers with Koushiro?" She asked the question slowly, since the words tasted funny coming out in that order.

"You don't think I could fix computers?"

"Well…"

"Alright, fine. I moved the computers while he fixed them." Taichi grumbled the words and attacked the cardboard fish with the stapler.

"Are you going to talk to him? And, I think that fish has enough staples."

Taichi set the stapler down and looked at the metal-coated fish. He wondered if Yamato was, indeed, looking for him to apologize. What else would cause the boy to go through so much trouble? He hadn't answered any of Tai's phone calls or messages so the brunet had assumed the blond was still fuming. In fact, he had been almost sure that Yamato would never talk to him again after his phone call to Iori. It couldn't have been avoided, though. The lawyer had already told Yamato how important it was that they stay on top of the case and make sure they filed each piece of paperwork on time. No matter how angry Yamato was at him, Taichi was not going to let him forget to work with Iori. There was no way the person he cared so much about, and Taichi's own sanity, would be saved until Tanaka was locked up for good or better. If he ever ran into Taichi again, that brute Tanaka was in for the incensed surprise of his life.

"I guess I might hear what he has to say." Taichi relented and hoped his baby sister would not make a big deal out of the choice.

Hikari smiled sweetly as usual and turned his attention back to the board, "How about we add a sea monster?"

"I thought you were never going to say that!" He laughed and scrambled to find the construction paper in the room. He wasn't sure how she did it, but Hikari seemed to have perfected the ability to get her way and not gloat in the slightest.

**XXX**

The smoke swirled and rose in the chilly nighttime air as Yamato pouted on the porch with cigarette in hand. He had been ready to civilly discuss the issues with Taichi, but his new vigor for communication was waning after searching half the city for the man. He had never realized how hard it would be to find Taichi, mainly since the boy had rarely left his side. Was it a bad sign for their relationship? Shouldn't someone who actually knew their partner be able to essentially find them with little difficulty? The thought soured his mood further and forced him to pull out a new cigarette.

"Hi," The voice was soft, but definitely familiar. "Mind some company?"

Yamato took a small puff from the cigarette and shook his head to alert Taichi that he didn't mind. He watched the brunet select a seat across from him instead of next to Yamato on the bench. The air was already filled with smoke and tension and Tai seemed a little worse for the wear. Under the boy's eyes were small bags that would have been barely visible to the casual observer. To Yamato, on the other hand, they spoke volumes. Taichi wasn't the type to miss out on sleep, even sleep he wasn't supposed to have. If he had been losing his second favorite hobby that badly while the two were apart for a few days, Yamato was honestly surprised.

"Iori called."

It was blunt and held little emotion behind it, but Taichi appreciated the knowledge. It was good to know the lawyer had kept his word to phone Yamato. Luckily, Iori had met Taichi a few times before and knew he wasn't a nut job. Well, maybe now the younger man wondered about that since Taichi had mentioned _taking care_ of Tanaka. As far as the brunet was concerned it wasn't too far-fetched of an idea to want to hurt the person who broke the one you cared about.

"Thanks. For the reminder." Yamato added and watched the emotions on Taichi's face shift continuously.

"I didn't want you to miss an important meeting about putting that ass behind bars for life."

"Did you really tell Iori that you were willing to kill… well, you know who?" Yamato hated the fact he couldn't bring himself to voice the name.

"Yeah." Taichi was firmer in his voice and scooted to the edge of his chair. "Honestly, I would be more than happy to beat him until my hands couldn't move any longer."

The brutal honesty of this statement was not lost on Yamato. He could see the glint in Taichi's eyes as the brunet imagined enacting revenge on Tanaka. It wasn't the first time the boy had spoken about being angry at Yamato's captor, but it was the _first_ time the blood thirsty look had flashed across Taichi's amber eyes. The look unsettled and comforted Yamato in a strange twist of emotions. He had been on the receiving end of a real bloodthirsty look before and disliked the reminder of the past, but he also had to appreciate the dedication of his boyfriend. A dedication that meant the man before him was willing to fight off a psycho twice his size.

"Look," Tai broke the silence and tried to find a way to explain his emotions, "I know you don't want me to take control of things and tell you what to do. I just want you to stay safe."

"Safe?"

"Yeah. I thought about it and that is all I want. I want Ishida Yamato to stay safe. And if that means I have to butt heads with you, than we butt heads. It is worth it."

"I don't mean to be such an ass to you, Taichi. I know you are trying to help. I know you are trying to keep me safe. And I know that I can never pay you back for all the crap you have had to do for me. The doctors, the medicines, the nightmare wake-up calls, the-"

"I don't mind doing that stuff." Taichi's voice remained firm to ensure Yamato listened to his message, "Don't you understand that I don't want you to pay me back? I did all this because that is what you do in a relationship. You trust that whatever happens to you there is someone ready to help pick you up when you fall."

"I've never been to good at trusting safety nets." Yamato admitted and watched for various clues flashing across Taichi's large eyes. "I know it doesn't seem like it, but I do like having you nearby. I haven't gotten even an ounce of good sleep since you went back to your apartment."

"Ounce of sleep?" Taichi's brain tried to wrap around Yamato's odd measurement system.

"See what I mean about sleep deprivation? But, as much as I wanted you there I also wanted the ability to choose things again. I am so tired of having people tell me what I can and can't do. I can't walk, I can't go to work, I can't smoke. How is anyone supposed to live like this? I just want the chance to control my life."

Taichi nodded his head slowly as an idea began to form in his mind. He disliked Yamato doing most of the things on the list, but he couldn't deny the boy had a point. One of the things Taichi had first fallen for was Yamato's independent side. He had watched quite a few of his boyfriend's interviews back in the day before their first meeting and slightly admired the way no question could faze the singer. He always had that handsome look of pride etched on his face during those clips and performances. How had Taichi not noticed that expression had all but left his friend's repertoire of facial movements? How long had it been since Yamato had actually felt like he had some say in his life? Taichi was willing to guess it happened a day or two ago when he decided on a job offer.

"So I want you safe and you want yourself free?"

Yamato was surprised at how easy the issue was summarized, but nodded his head affirmatively.

"Maybe we can strike a bargain?" When Yamato paused a moment, Taichi added, "And you can decide your wager on your own. Completely, on your own unless you want me to-"

"I think I got it." Yamato found the tiniest bit of a smile tickling his lips. After a moment he offered the first draft for consideration, "I get to smoke, work, and use crutches."

"What about limited work and no smoking?"

"You can't pick-and-choose which hours to work at the filming unless you are just a guest star or something. And trust me, if you want to see any type of sanity in this house I need to be able to smoke."

"Alright," Taichi waved his hands in the air to signify a new deal. "I will give as much crutch time as you want and work, if you agree to work non-insane hours in this town. And, me letting you have more chances to be free. As long as it doesn't completely destroy your mental or physical health."

"Add cigarettes and you have a deal."

"No more than a pack a wee-" He paused when Yamato's brow dipped and allowed a change, "Alright, no more than three... fine, five, a day. And I get to check in and say something if the work thing becomes too stressful or harmful to you."

"Deal." Yamato snubbed his overused cigarette on the sidewalk and held out his good hand to shake on the deal. The realization of their oddity dawned on him a few seconds later, "Did we just solve our first fight by bargaining like we were at an online auction?"

"Yep." Taichi laughed out loud, glad to finally feel a bit of the tension leave the air around them. He had never been built for long bouts of depression; his basic personality was far too friendly for that sort of thing. "But we can make it less weird."

"How?"

Taichi scooted forward on his chair and stared into his boyfriend's blue eyes lovingly, "We can seal it with something a little more fun then a handshake?"

Yamato's crooked grin slowly came to his face and sent a small shiver of delight down Taichi's spine, "I think that could be arranged."

Without another word, since nothing more was needed or desired at this point by either man, Taichi leaned forward and captured Yamato's lips with his own. The kiss was chaste at the start but quickly escalated into something more animalistic and urgent. Their bodies shifted into more comfortable positions without a shred of difficulty, as if they had been consistently rehearsing the scene. Taichi avoided putting any weight on Yamato's cast by resting his knee on one side of the boy's injured leg and using his other leg to support himself. For his part, Yamato leaned back against the loveseat and ran his hands over Taichi's back and in-between the strands of his wild hair. He could feel Taichi's excitement growing as their heads began to tilt and allow more access to each other's mouths.

As the desire to breath began to outweigh the need for physical connection, Taichi pulled his mouth free and took a few gasps of air between kissing Yamato's neck. Being a headstrong person by nature, he was used to having his fair share of fights when in relationships. And if the many fights had taught him anything, aside from how to piss off a few select people, it was how much fun the make up period could be. Some of the best moments in one or few of his past relationships had been those moments. The idea that he could have one of those moments with a person he really believed he might just love, sent his mind into a frenzied rush. Everything seemed so much more powerful than it ever had before. And then reality came hurtling back into the picture like a comet.

Yamato flinched.

It wasn't a large, dramatic movement in the big scheme of things. But the facial tick had been enough to slightly dampen Taichi's romantic fire. He wondered silently if he should ask or just back away. These things had always been hit or miss and he wasn't in the mood to start a new fight. In the back of his mind, he prayed that maybe it was just a spasm from a missed pain pill or a limb that had fallen asleep. Of course, in the pit of his stomach he had a sinking feeling that it was one more sign that Tanaka had taken away his boyfriend's ability to trust in consenting physical love.

"What?" Yamato panted heavily as he watched Taichi collapse on the seat next to him.

"Is your leg hurting? You seemed like something was bothering you."

"Oh, I just..." He was surprised Tai had noticed the small movement during the amorous scene, "Just the cast acting up."

Taichi noted how long it took Yamato to find an answer and felt a small pang in his heart. He couldn't quite place the emotion, but he knew he didn't enjoy it in the slightest. For now, he wasn't going to question the fact they were able to have a moment together. He forced the feeling aside and pulled Yamato onto his lap. The blond locks tickled his face and forced a tender smile to cover Taichi's face. He was willing to bet few people knew that Yamato's hair always smelled like cherry blossom scented shampoo. In his arms, the singer snuggled as best he could and sat in the silence of the night.

"I'm getting so tired of that cast." Taichi mumbled half-heartedly and kissed Yama's head.

The blond laughed very softly, "_You_ are getting tired of it? I'm ready to saw it off myself."

At first Taichi remained silent, but eventually he smiled, pushed the strange emotion aside, and whispered as soft as possible, "I missed holding you."

* * *

**I know this chapter was supposed to have Aika's official introduction, but plans changed. And, as a planner, I can tell you how much that annoys me lol. I don't mind it in other people's stories, but I like having my own in order because my brain is odd like that lol. **

**By the way, I have been meaning to say that I hope I have kept Yamato's reactions to the kidnapping realistic. I have researched and met people who have suffered traumatic events and have dealt with things like PTSD. It isn't a quick recovery process and the last thing I want to do is insult people who have gone through these kinds of traumas by creating a story that falsely portrays the problem. Anyway, if you are reading this story and have someone in your family who is/has suffering/suffered through major stressful events, or if you yourself have, I hope the story is a portrayal that doesn't leave you feeling like I belittled the issue. **


	7. Do You Deserve That Breath

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.**

**Thanks for the kind words everyone! I have worked on some new chapters for this story and for my other story 'Days'. We shall see which makes it to the publish button first lol.**

**By the way, I am not an expert in Japanese law. I am also not an expert in any other country's law system. So, I apologize if the legal jargon or exact method of things is a little incorrect.**

* * *

For the first time since enacting his pretend to be normal idea, Yamato found himself actually feeling normal. It had been nice to wake up to something besides nightmares for two days now. The empty voids that greeted him during his short sleep sessions were becoming more and more inviting. Anything was better than looking into the eyes of a traitorous ex-friend. In fact, he was beginning to think that few things could beat the view of Taichi's sleepy face in the morning.

"Hi, Sport." The brunet smiled gently and took advantage of one of the last times his boyfriend's breath would lack the stench of nicotine.

Yamato took the simple kiss easily and snuggled into the side of his boyfriend. When he had first been discharged from the hospital it had been nearly impossible to squeeze both of them into the bed. After a month or two of practice, their skill level had increased to near Tetris master. At the moment, Taichi was laying on his back with Yamato halfway strewn over his body. The position allowed them a chance to have some physical sensation while taking into consideration the limited amount of movement the blond had on one side of his body. One hand remained stationed on Yamato's back, but Taichi kept the other one away from the blond so his boyfriend wouldn't feel boxed in or trapped.

"How long," A loud yawn interrupted the words, "Have you been up?"

"About an hour." Taichi stretched his arms and let the one that had been on the boy's back slide up his spine and into his disheveled hair. He knew Yamato took a large amount of pride in his perfectly controlled locks, but this was the way Taichi preferred to see them. When his hair was free of styling products and gel it was much easier to run his fingers through the strands. He had fallen into the habit when Yamato was in the hospital. For days, he had sat beside the boy and stroked his hair while gently pleading with him to wake up. Old routines were hard to break, and he still found himself resorting to stroking the boy's hair during times of stress or comfort.

"What do you mean they know?"

The voice jarred the duo out of their peaceful morning and pulled their attention to the slightly ajar bedroom door. They normally closed the door at bedtime, but Taichi hadn't been too concerned with simple details last night. Most of his attention had been spent on embracing a rare moment of lowered Yamato guard. After going without any kind of physical embrace for a few days, the brunet hadn't cared too much about checking off his normal nightly duties. Who could focus when the person they wanted to be with was right before them?

"That sounds like Takeru."

The words brought a small sigh from Taichi. He could hear the curiosity in his boyfriend's voice and knew it would be all but impossible to pull him back to their morning cuddle. Yamato's brain was already whirring and clicking back to full force and he would soon be demanding they go and check on the younger blond. Instead of feeding the fire, Taichi wrapped an arm around Yamato's waist and whispered into his ear, "We don't have to meet Iori for a few more hours. Can't we just hang out here?"

"I mean they found out about everything." Hikari's voice joined the conversation outside the door.

"Still want to stay?" Yama couldn't help the small smirk on his face. He wasn't the only one with a younger sibling to protect.

"Only children have it so easy." Taichi helped Yamato out of the bed and threw on a shirt before they stuck their heads outside the door.

In the hallway, Takeru and Hikari stood about a foot apart with differing looks etched onto their young faces. Takeru appeared to be feeling a little frustration and shock, while his fiancé was varying between light regret and annoyance. Yamato spotted right away that Takeru was holding his chin with his dominant hand. That alone signified that the conversation had to be about something dear to him. Chin holding was an action he hadn't seen Takeru do since he first learned about Yamato's stalker. What could they be talking about now to produce such a movement?

"I thought we were going to tell Takato before anyone else." Takeru's hand kept his chin in a death grip.

"I told you that I didn't tell them…" Hikari's eyes welled up a little as her hormones began to join the party, "They guessed. What was I going to tell them? That I was throwing up so many times because I had a one symptom flu?"

Taichi spotted the mere chance his baby sister would cry and walked into the hallway. He ignored Yamato's good hand pulling his shirt to signify he should stay out of the matter. This had gone past a simple discussion when Hikari had become emotional. He couldn't leave his sister to face an argument alone.

"Do you let anyone handle their own issues?" Yama grumbled under his breath and hobbled out behind Taichi, if only to save the situation from complete meltdown.

"What is going on here?"

The younger couple turned to stare at their brothers as Taichi thundered into the scene with Yamato on his tail. Takeru's chin was finally freed as he tried to gauge what the brunet's actions were going to be. Had the duo heard their discussion? The look of growing disapproval on Taichi's face answered the question easily and forced Takeru to try to produce some damage control.

"I'm sorry if we woke you guys. We were trying to talk up here while Takato watched his Digimon show before school."

"What are you talking about?" Taichi remained firm and stood beside his sister.

Hikari, Takeru, and Yamato shared a knowing glance amongst themselves and tried to piece together their next move. Although Yamato had no clue what the topic of the hour was, he knew that Taichi wouldn't be quieted without an explanation. A good explanation, at that. It was almost funny to see how much joy and pain the boy's courageous side caused him. Luckily, for the blond brothers, Hikari was the first to speak up.

"We were planning to tell Takato about the pregnancy before either of our parents. But, I had lunch yesterday with ours and they kind of figured things out without me saying a word."

Taichi paused as the information washed over him. In his mind, he could imagine said scene playing out. Their mother had never been the quickest to spot sub-textual clues. Which explained the many years she had tried to shove inedible food down her family's throats and never questioned why they would rather eat plastic before her meals. The one exception to this rule was when the sub-textual clue actually benefited her. And what could benefit her more than becoming an obaasan? At least, he figured, their parents were willing to overlook the fact Hikari had sex out of marriage since it produced an infant for them to spoil rotten. Taichi was still trying to come to terms with that last fact himself.

"This will be interesting…" Yamato mumbled softly as he imagined Natsuko receiving an overzealous call about a baby-to-be from Yuuko. Ever since Yamato had left the hospital, Natsuko had been trying to keep herself fully integrated in her children's lives. She had smothered Takeru and Yamato to a ridiculous point, but Hikari had also been feeling a good bit of the suffocating love due to her impending marriage.

"I guess this means you are going to have to tell her about you and Taichi soon too."

Yamato sputtered at Takeru's sudden statement, "What are you talking about? This has _nothing _to do with me."

"Don't you remember how we agreed that Hikari and I would tell our news first and then you would go second?"

"Oh no," Yama shook his head as his brain began to catch on to the ploy. There was no way his brother was going to push him into the spotlight, "I'm not going to be a distraction from the fact she is the last parent to know about the baby. Besides, how does her finding out through the grapevine count as you telling her?"

Hikari nodded her head as Yamato spoke and took Takeru's hand. She knew that he had been rather close to his mother and wanted badly to avoid disappoint her. If they let the woman find out through the grapevine, she would most likely feel hurt and bring Takeru's worry to fruition. If they told her themselves she would at least feel like they respected her enough to say something in person. As long as Hikari's mother refrained from calling Takeru's parents, they might be able to change this situation into a positive one.

"Why don't we just take your parents out to eat and tell them there? That way she can feel like she found out in a special way, even if she wasn't first."

"That might work." Takeru smiled widely and looked at his brother. If he could get Takato and Yamato to attend this dinner party, his mother would be thrilled. She was always trying to find ways to spend time with Yamato and would be happy to receive joyous news with her sons by her side.

"You were right earlier," Yamato looked at Taichi and sighed, "We should have stayed in bed."

**XXX**

Although Hida Iori's main office was located in Tokyo, he had managed to collect a few rental offices in buildings throughout the country. Luckily for Taichi's group, one of those offices happened to be only a twenty-minute drive from Takeru's home. That particular factoid came in handy when he found out Miyako would be coming. He hadn't mentioned anything aloud, but he was curious how long of a car ride Miyako could handle. Yamato was gaining more health by the day, but the young woman still looked pretty worse for the wear in Taichi's opinion.

Her face was coated in the scars of a past fiery explosion and judging from the way she winced when her clothing rubbed certain parts of her body, her pain pills were not doing their job very well. He disliked admitting it, but Miyako made him nervous and he wasn't sure it was a good idea to take her along for the ride. What if she had some kind of reaction or seizure while he was driving? She seemed like a nice woman, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she was going to fall apart the minute he was left alone with her.

"Thank you for letting me come along." Miyako smiled at Taichi from her position in the front passenger seat. She noticed that he avoided looking into her eyes, but didn't push the subject, "I haven't seen Iori-san in a very long time."

"He might be a foot taller by now." Yamato, in an oddly peaceful mood, spoke up from the backseat of the car. His injured leg was stretched across the empty seats and a small smile was sitting upon his lips. He knew in the back of his mind that they were going to have to talk about the villain in the upcoming meeting, but for now he was going to relish in the fact the world was going at a slower pace then usual.

Taichi grinned outwardly at his boyfriend's statement and silently hoped this visit would end well. When he had first seen Iori after the accident, Yamato had still been in the hospital. It might have been the mix of pain killers or just the fact Iori reminded the blond of an earlier, more simple time, but Yamato had cried. Taichi could still recall the sudden bout of emotions that had taken over his boyfriend. Iori hadn't said a word about the unescapable future court date, but Yamato had fallen into a sullen funk. As far as Taichi and Sora had figured, in one of their rare constructive moments of communication, seeing Iori must have been a blatant sign that everything had actually happened. If he remembered correctly, Sora had said it was probably one of the first of many signs to come that illustrated that none of this was some horror movie or bad dream. Iori was visiting him because he _needed_ to take a person who had _actually_ done these things to him to prison. The two visits after the first had been less traumatic, but there had always been a strange haze over Yamato's face when they visited Iori.

"Isn't that your turn?" Miyako spoke up and motioned to the left side of the road.

"Oh, yeah. Thanks." Taichi offered her a small smile, then turned his eyes back to the road. Maybe Miyako was a pretty good co-pilot after all?

Inside the building their ragtag group slowly stumbled and rolled towards their destination. Taichi kept his hands on Miyako's wheel chair and let one of his eyes constantly watch over Yamato's poor attempt to walk with crutches. He couldn't say anything about the fact it was obvious the stress was hurting Yamato's bandaged hand. Silently, he cursed the deal that had allowed the blond free reign over crutch use. What had possessed him to give in on that particular subject? Yamato passed him and Taichi couldn't help but notice a few of his favorite features of the blond. His stupid move made a little more sense now.

"Miyako-san."

The tender voice joined the empty waiting room as Hida Iori exited the conference room and hurried to the woman in question. His hair was a dark brown and seemed to encase his head in a somewhat childish cut. Taichi would have paid a little more attention to the lawyer, but the man slowly walking behind Iori took his attention in a second.

"Ken?" Taichi grinned and left Miyako with Iori, so he could fully greet his old friend and boss. "What are you doing here? I thought you left for a few weeks to travel with your wife."

A small smile broke out onto Ken's face, but the brunet could spot a disturbing emotion in the boy's eyes which nullified the fake expression, "There was a small change of plans."

"What? I thought you were so excited to surprise her with this trip. What happened?"

"Taichi, stop." Yamato mumbled under his breath, knowing full well how far his boyfriend would go before he realized another person's reasonings were none of his business.

"What?" Tai missed the cue and let his brain fly into a mix of pushy and caring friend, "Something bad obviously happened. I'm just trying to help. Why," He turned back to Ken and watched the boy with eyes that explained he really did not mean any harm by pushing, "are you hanging out with a lawyer anyway? Did you have to get some papers signed before leaving on the trip?"

"You don't have to answer that." Yamato spoke up before Ken could answer Taichi's questions. "It really isn't any of our business."

"It's alright." Ken's voice was slightly emotional but he seemed surprisingly okay with admitting the reason he was visiting an old lawyer friend. "My wife and I are separating and Iori offered to help me with a bit of the paperwork."

None of the men in the room knew what to say as the words tumbled out of their friend's mouth. Iori knew it was not his place to dispel any of his clients or friends' information, so his lips remained tightly locked in an ambiguous expression. Taichi and Yamato, however, exchanged looks of varying sympathy and sadness for their friend. Although, Taichi had known and worked for Ken at the school for many years, he had never heard any information that would point to an unhappy marriage. It just wasn't something the boys discussed over drinks or dinner.

"I'm sorry. I know this must be a very hard thing to go through." Miyako was the first to speak up and caused Ken to smile ever so softly at her concern. He was a complete stranger to her, yet she seemed genuinely concerned about his well-being. Even in her condition it seemed like she was feeling more pain for his problems then her own.

"Thank you. I'm afraid I didn't catch your name."

She smiled kindly at the young man, "Inoue Miyako."

**XXX**

As they sat in the conference room, Taichi found his attention being torn between the two issues of the day. He still couldn't fathom the idea that Ken and Miyako were sitting outside discussing the similarities between controlling children and musicians. Ken had always been a very kind-hearted man, in Taichi's opinion, but he had never taken to someone so quickly. What the heck could an agent and a principal have to talk about? It sounded more like the punch line of a bad joke, '_A music agent and a principal walk into a bar…_' Despite the fact he had heard them casually discussing rules and order, he figured they were going to slip into an awkward silence quickly enough. Besides, he had bigger things to focus on than Ken and Miyako; namely, the death penalty.

"There is a possibility that the death penalty can come up in this case." Iori spoke softly, but kept his words firm to make sure Yamato could understand each word. "The courts do not usually look into that type of punishment unless treason or murder is involved in the case. They might be willing to make an exception due to your special condition."

"Special condition?" Taichi echoed as if he wasn't quite sure what the term alluded to.

"He means the fact I was pronounced legally dead for a moment or two when I first arrived at the hospital. Right?"

The emotionless way Yamato responded to the question forced a shiver down Taichi's spine. He had tried very hard to block out how close Yamato had been to death when he was found in the forest. Personally, Taichi wondered if it was a good thing the doctors hadn't mentioned the fact they had _lost_ Yamato for almost nine whole minutes at first. Instead, they had mentioned the fact to Takeru and the boy's parents during the emotional family explanation session. It had been the first time Taichi had seen Takeru actually cry. The poor kid had been terrified since the doctors had warned him about the first loss, and the fact that even though he was brought back it was no guarantee. There was a good chance the family would have left that hospital with one less son.

"Go for it." Taichi's voice was filled with a rage that had bubbled around his heart for months. It wasn't like the brunet to wish such a fate on another human being, but he was losing the ability to consider Tanaka a human. "Push for the death penalty."

"Tai?" The rush of words took Yamato back a moment. He didn't know who was in the brunet's head right now, but it did not seem like Taichi. Though, the bloodthirsty look in the boy's amber eyes was unnervingly familiar from one of their earlier discussions.

"It isn't a guarantee." Iori reminded the man and silently wondered if Taichi's voice was going to grow louder if his demand was not met with direct action. "But it would definitely push the issue if you publicly endorsed the idea, Yamato-san."

"Anything." Tai took Yamato's turn to speak and stared at his boyfriend with the look that churned Yama's stomach. "We'll do anything to get that option on the table. Right?"

"I…" His voice cracked as Taichi stared into his soul with those damn vengeful eyes.

This was the moment he was supposed to say yes. This was supposed to be the moment he felt a rush of power to decide the fate of the man who had tortured him for days. Suddenly the shoe was on the other foot and he was supposed to run head first into the sunset. But he couldn't. He couldn't find the ability to force a sound out of his suddenly dry throat. Worse still, he was growing very aware of the fact his rib cage no longer wanted to expand and allow air into the needy lungs.

What was stopping him from shouting yes and running head first like Taichi? Didn't he deserve to have that man taken off the street forever? Hadn't he earned the right to finally walk down the street without fear that Tanaka had escaped his cell!? Would trying to kill him mean that Yamato… had sunk down to his level? Wasn't he just as guilty as the man sitting behind those metal bars?

"Yamato?" Iori's voice came to him quickly as he spotted the shade of green over-coming the boy's face. He shoved a trashcan beside Yamato's chair and watched as the panicked man immediately leaned over and threw up violently.

* * *

**Still haven't reached Aika, but we will get there soon. I promise. I am curious to see what you guys think of Taichi near the end. I think I have finally reached that point in the story where the characters have been through enough that some of their behaviors and beliefs about the world have shifted from the original versions. Not sure if that is a good or bad thing, though. Anyway, have a great day! : )**


	8. He's got no-

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.**

**Thanks for visiting this new chapter! : )**

**Welcome to all new and previous readers. I promised we would get to Aika at some point, and I just might keep that promise lol. **

* * *

"You don't look so good…" Sora mumbled gently as she pulled the car to the side of the road.

Her passenger was slumped in the seat next to hers, at least as slumped as his injuries would allow. With nerves busily bubbling under her calm exterior, she reached a hand out and rested it on his shoulder. After all they had been through, the caring gesture should have come easily. If Sora had learned anything during this ordeal, it was that nothing was as easy as it had been in their history. The years that filled their past as treasured friends and lovers seemed like a lifetime ago. The man sitting beside her was not the same person. It killed her to even think those types of thoughts, but this man was practically a stranger to her now.

"Thank you."

It wasn't easy to discern if his politeness was geared towards her stopping the car or her physical gesture. Part of her wished that they could just laugh it off as a sarcastic quip about her earlier statement. The Yamato she knew, the vibrant sparkle-eyed Yamato she loved, would have leapt at the opportunity to slide in a sassy remark. Every party and première they had ever attended together always ended with a small section of playful banter. She could still remember, and often cling to, the memory of the last time they had enjoyed such freedom and pleasure…

_She entered the hotel room with her stilettos in one hand and her room key in the other. The film had been highly applauded as a masterpiece of modern cinema by the rich producers milling around the after party. She wasn't exactly sure what the statement meant, but it was most likely one of the more overused clichés people in the business held on to for every project they were asked about. The important thing about their security blanket phrase was that it often meant good things for the actors and actresses future careers. Who wouldn't want to hire someone who continuously helped turn modern cinema on its ear?_

"_That was pretty good." Yamato's breath on her neck sent a shiver down her spine. _

"_Only pretty?" She teased and forced her body not to melt into his, as his strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind. He wasn't going to win this easily. _

"_And good. Don't forget good." He mumbled into her hair that had long ago fallen from its meticulous design. _

"_What was your favorite part of this good movie then?" _

_Yamato paused for a moment and spun her around in his arms. He kissed her lips and seemed to think that would be a good enough answer for the question. It wasn't. Sora dropped her heels and patted his chest with her freed hand. She hadn't expected him to give her a complete dissertation about the movie's plot. There was just something fun about playing with him to see what he actually had paid attention to in his sleep-deprived state. Maybe his exhausted newly-escaped-from-a-cross-country tour brain would surprise her._

"_My song wasn't too bad." He grinned wickedly and watched her feigned look of displeasure. _

"_The one at the credits? Your favorite part was the credits?" _

"_Yeah. But you could hardly hear it over all those people clapping and whooping." He shrugged his shoulders; enjoying the game, "Maybe when it opens in theaters they will stay quiet enough to hear it."_

"_Anything else to add to the favorites list? Besides the previews?" _

"_The scenes were you kicked butt were pretty good." He relented and rested his forehead on her own._

"_Of course you liked the scenes with the leather spy suit." She laughed and playfully rolled her eyes. "It seems like every man on set liked that outfit."_

"_No," His smile twisted into a crooked grin that always sent Sora's heart flying. "I didn't like the costume."_

"_What?" This time she was actually caught off guard. Her boyfriend wasn't the type to admire guns or unnecessarily long scenes of violence. What else was there to like about those scenes?_

"_I liked the fact I was the only one in the audience who would get to peel that costume off of you." The words were no longer playful. His voice had sunk into a lower romantic register that forced Sora to melt into his arms, "Then again, I'll settle for peeling you out of this dress." _

_Yamato, one. Sora, a romantically happy zero. _

"Do you think they will be upset if we're late?"

Sora was pulled out of her trip down memory lane when Yamato's soft voice spoke up once again. He was still slumped in the seat but his eyes were now looking at her face. She couldn't help but notice how much had changed in those blue orbs. Why couldn't life have left the spark in those eyes alone?

"No," Her motherly tone slipped out easily and she softly gripped his shoulder, "I have a feeling that a few of the other big wigs will be late too. You know how those people get caught up in talking and not going to appointments."

He nodded softly at her statement and gingerly rubbed his face with his hands. The good hand offered each cheek a small slap, to get the blood flow going again and hopefully wake him up. She was one of the few people who had heard about the dilemma at the lawyer's office and, honestly, Sora was surprised to have him in the car alone. Taichi had been so upset about the situation that he had tried his hardest to wiggle into the duo's appointment. But Yamato had actually turned him down and reminded the brunet that he had promised to do this with Sora. It wasn't exactly a pleasant feeling, but Sora was partially glad to be with her friend and not surrounded by people for a little bit. After Yamato had first mentioned the two of them going to the appointment, she started planning a small day for them. Nothing excessive, but some good quality time.

"You know," She turned the engine back on and slowly pulled into the street. "This is your choice. You have a choice in all of this, and you don't have to do anything you don't want to."

He nodded his head but didn't verbally respond. She could spot a look of deep concentration on his face and knew the words were being carefully considered. After watching Taichi interact with Yamato for a few days, she had begun to notice the strange relationship they shared when it came to personal choices. It seemed like every time she turned around the two were bickering like an old married couple about how many cigarettes Yamato had smoked. She didn't care for smoking, but it wasn't her job to tell Yama how to live his life. As far as Sora figured, there was a chance that Yamato needed the vice until he could learn a better way to take the edge off. She made a mental note to let Taichi know that he should let his friend make his own choices before turning into the parking lot.

**XXX**

When Yamato had first requested to have his audition in his hometown he had expected to be met with strong refusals. Directors, friend or not, had never been known for their open and understanding nature in his experiences. Surprisingly, in less than three hours after his e-mail request (a record response time for anyone in the industry), Rinchei had let him know that he was willing to do whatever the boy wanted to make this work. He figured that was a huge sign most of the people involved on the project seriously doubted he would agree to meet with them. But here he was a day later standing outside the room in a button-up shirt and leather jacket, ready for the show business jackals to jump on his carcass.

"You'll do fine." Sora smiled sweetly and embodied her motherly spirit by adjusting the collar of his shirt. "Just remember, they wanted you. You already won them over, Yama."

He grinned at her softly and gave her hand a soft squeeze before she led him to the door, "I hope you're right, Sora."

Upon the duo's entrance a quick hush spread over the crowd. Everyone from the writing staff to the oldest producer merely stared at Yamato like they had just seen a ghost. Yamato assumed the situation couldn't become any more awkward until he noticed Rinchei standing up on the other side of the room. The old man clapped his hands together softly and inspired the other people to join in on the applause. Soon, everyone but Sora and Yamato, were beating their hands together in an emotion the blond didn't understand. He hated all the attention and felt a strong desire to storm out of the room build up in his chest. Why would they do something like this? They acted like he was some sort of hero. There was nothing heroic about him. Heroism involved doing something miraculous and really helping a person or animal. All he had done was manage to survive a few days with a psycho who blew up his friend. As the thought settled over him, Yamato furrowed his brow slightly and tried to think of something to snap the disillusioned group back to the reality of the situation.

"Thank you, but we really should get going on our work. I know Yamato has been very anxious to hear more about this wonderful new script. Why don't we just get right on with the audition and everyone can get out of here early?" Sora stepped in before Yamato could say anything and supportively squeezed his good hand. The boy had almost forgotten how well she could read him.

"Thank you." He whispered into her ear once more, and watched the writers and other people scurry to their assigned seats.

"Yamato-san and Sora-chan!" Rinchei heartily greeted the pair as he approached the duo. He was dressed in a semi-casual outfit and kept his sunglasses over his eyes. After knowing the man for a few years, neither Sora nor Yamato questioned his fashion sense. They had learned not to question any sense Rinchei may or may not have. If it hadn't been for the man's wife, Yamato was almost certain he would walk around in shorts and foreign flower shirts year round. There had always been something different about the older man. It was a quality that changed so constantly that often times actors and crews on his various films would compare notes about the man's actions during their time with him.

"If I had known you were coming, I would have told my wife." He smiled kindly at Sora and then looked up to Yamato, "You look good. I am so glad you decided to come back to the world of lights through my project."

"Haven't gotten the part yet. I have to audition first." Yamato tried to keep a neutral expression on his face since it was too hard to fake a smile with all the stressors floating around his head. He had already noted that there were three doors in the room leading out and a couple of locked windows on the opposing wall. Although they were on the third floor, he was counting them as a plausible emergency escape.

"You must have confidence, Yamato. You know that you are talen-" He stopped in mid-sentence as a new young woman entered the large room, "Oh! There she is. I'd like you two to meet Aika-chan. Aika, this is Ishida Yamato and Takenouchi Sora."

The young woman was short, at least a full inch shorter than Sora. Her shiny black hair, pulled into a loose bun at the nape of her neck, was so dark that Yamato almost swore it matched the color of a moonless night sky. The only thing darker than her black hair was the midnight shade coating her eyes. They stood out from her pale heart-shaped face and forced both members of the duo to stare at their hypnotic quality. There was something about her that reminded Yamato of the old stories Sora's mother used to tell about traditional Japanese women.

"It is wonderful to finally meet you, Ishida-san and Sora-san." Aika bowed very gracefully and waited for the other two to follow her lead.

After Sora's polite introduction, Yamato bent as best he could on the crutches and offered an awkward, "It is nice to meet you too, Aika-san. Please, feel free to call me Yamato."

"As you wish, Yamato-san." The girl smiled brightly at her possible co-star as a very faint blush colored her pale cheeks. A moment later, she politely excused herself since her name was being called from the other side of the room.

"I think this is going to be a perfect match." Renchei chuckled as he followed behind the actress.

"That was… different." Yamato watched the woman make conversation with someone on the other side of the room. He hadn't noticed her outfit earlier, mainly due to the strange power of her eyes, but now he couldn't help but watch the clothing as she flitted around the room. Her dress was long and flowed freely around her thin body, minus the section held down by a bright strip of cloth nestled underneath her small chest. The outfit reminded him of a more westernized version of a yukata. She had various glittery beaded bracelets covering her wrists, and one ankle, and seemed to enjoy twisting the purple band on her left hand whenever she spoke to the crew. Overall, the outfit and its shiny accessories gave the tiny girl a fairy like quality.

"Oh, it was definitely something." Sora giggled and took turns looking between Aika and Yamato.

"What does that mean?"

"I am just saying she seems very _taken_ with you." In her opinion, it was very sweet that the younger girl was obviously a little enchanted by meeting a celebrity. Aika wasn't a seasoned performer so this type of thing was probably still new and exciting.

"No. She isn't thinking anything like that." Yamato shook his head and refused to believe such an idea. There was something about the girl that made his mind pay more attention than normal, but it wasn't a romantic attraction. He just had the strangest feeling he had met her before. But, where?

"As long as I get an invite to wedding it's okay with me." Sora giggled happily and found a weight lift from her shoulders when Yamato cracked an actual smile at her playful teasing. Maybe, this was going to be like old times after all.

**XXX**

As he stared in the mirror hanging on the wall and attempted to tie his tie, he realized that his days of moping had completely drained his energy reserves. Before the incidents, Yamato had been more than able to do at least six interviews, a concert, two encores, an after party, and a romantic night. Now, he was exhausted after a simple movie audition and wanted nothing more than to curl back into his comfy bed. His brain relented the onslaught of comments about laziness when his common sense reminded him that he hadn't been merely reading the lines. Yamato had read lines, watched each exit and person for any sign of trouble, and contemplated the multitude of images he wished would disappear from his brain. Maybe he did deserve the nap after all?

A sudden flash of movement in the base of the mirror stole his train of thought. He watched as Takato haphazardly rolled around the room and tried to slink along the walls. A belt was tied around his forehead to symbolize, Yamato assumed, one of the characters from the show his father refused to let him watch. Little did Takeru know that Taichi, the most popular babysitter of all time, was more than happy to watch hours of that show with Takato. Of course, when the kid got in trouble for mimicking the behaviors on the show, Taichi had always been quick to admit he had no idea where it was coming from.

"Ha!" Takato leapt from his wall spot and grabbed onto Yamato's good leg. He wrapped his little body around the appendage and sat on Yama's foot, "I got you Oji! Bet you didn't see me!"

It took a second for Yamato to find his balance again, but he remained up right as Takato weighted his leg, "Are we a ninja today, Tak?"

"Spy!"

"Sounds like a fun job. I bet you will be an excellent spy." Yamato smiled, thinking their game was nearing its end. He knew that Takeru would come to collect the little escape artist in a minute and force him into appropriate clothes for dinner.

"I'm a good one now!" Takato chirped and let his uncle's leg go. From his pocket he produced his father's smart phone, which held an image of Natsuko talking on her own phone. "I spied on Gram Gram and she didn't even know I listened to her talk about coach and Sora-san!"

He couldn't decide which question to ask first. Was it wrong to ask what his nephew had overheard his grandmother say on the phone? It did sound like he was involving the kid in gossip, but he should check to see what the little kid heard. That was the responsible adult thing to do after all. At least, that is what he was going to claim if Takeru found out. "What did she say?"

"She said that Tai has got no bitchin."

Being a connoisseur of multi-cultural swear words, Yamato was very aware of what his nephew had spouted so innocently. The child had a gigantic grin spread across his face proving he was pretty proud of himself. Natsuko was no saint and she had definitely fought hard with Yamato at times, but he couldn't believe his mother would say something like that. Not to mention, the phrase really didn't make much sense when he thought it over a second time.

"Wait," A new realization dawned on the blond, "Did she say _ambition_? Tai has no ambition?"

"Yeah! That was it, Oji. She said coach doesn't have any of that stuff. She said she doesn't think he has any cause he hasn't gotten a better job. I think coach has a really neat job, but she said that it isn't gonna take him anywhere in life." The boy was fidgeting with the belt slipping on his head as he spoke and seemed completely unaware that he had heard something not meant for his ears, "But she said Sora-san has got a good job and that she is really nice and polite and pretty. Hikari said that you have to be polite when you meet people and I am always polite."

"That is good, Takato." Yamato sat on the floor so he could be closer to the child's height. He was far to gone to not hear the end of this story now, "Did you hear anything else?"

"Yes." He nodded his head so quickly that the belt finally fell and gave him a new necklace. "Gram Gram said that my otosan and Hikari are gonna get married. I knew that part already, Oji. But then she said that she thinks there will be another wedding too. Are you and Sora-san going to get married? She said that you guys look at each other like you love each other and that you make a good couple. I think she thinks that you guys love each other and stuff. I should tell her that you like to do the gross grownup stuff with coach, right?"

"Gross grown-up stuff?" He couldn't help but ask.

Takato looked to each side of the room then leaned in to whisper with disgust, "Kissing."

"Ooooohhhh, thank goodness." Yamato sighed since at least one crisis was averted.

"You want me to tell Gram Gram to not make you and Sora go out on dates and stuff?"

"Dates?"

"Uh-huh. She said that she was going to make sure you and Sora-san get lots and lots and lots of alone time. What are you supposed to do alone, anyway? She already asked Sora to come to dinner with us at the fancy restaurant. But not coach." Takato paused for a minute and seemed to be thinking quite hard about something. After a few more seconds he added, "I think you should get married to coach, because then he can live with me and play games forever. But if you also marry Sora-san she can read me more stories. I'll tell Gram Gram that you are gonna marry them both."

"Actually," The fun was starting to fade as Takato began to appear very interested in the idea of suggesting polygamy to his grandmother, "Why don't we keep this a secret for now? You don't tell what you heard and I won't tell your dad you took his phone. Deal?"

"Okay." Takato didn't seem to notice how nervous the conversation had made his uncle. He couldn't understand why anyone wanted to get married anyway. It seemed pretty boring, in his opinion.

"Takato?" Takeru called from outside the door and the child handed Yamato the phone before he quickly scampered out of the room.

When he was left alone again, Yamato wondered if he had done the right thing. It probably was bad parenting to make a kid agree to keep secrets from his family. But it wasn't a permanent situation. Once his relationship was public then the secret would be out of the bag…and his mother's heart would be crushed. Honestly, he had just assumed she had a small inkling that her kid might not be completely straight. Then again, he still wasn't able to call himself 'gay' or 'bi' in his mind or out loud. Could that be a sign?

As he stumbled back to a standing position and stared into the mirror a few new thoughts tumbled around his brain. Originally, he hadn't really questioned his relationship with Taichi, aside from a few early reservations that proved to be misunderstandings. The whole thing had pretty much evolved on its own. He hadn't felt that same flutter of emotions for any other man, and he had definitely been given the opportunity during his many years mingling with celebrities.

The real question, the one he knew would keep him up for a few nights, was why did he feel guilty about the way his body and mind reacted towards Sora versus Taichi. He hadn't flinched when Sora's hands had touched his shoulder or non-injured hand earlier. Yet, he had flinched when Taichi had tried to kiss him after their fight. He closed his eyes and let his forehead rest on the cool surface of the mirror. Was this supposed to be some kind of hint that he was meant to be with Sora? What if he never got over the feeling of anxiety that overtook him when Taichi tried to touch him in certain ways? Even if he stayed with Taichi, what kind of relationship could it be? There was no way Taichi could put up with the damaged goods named Yamato for too long. Sooner or later the annoyance of not being able to express their love physically was going to push Taichi away. If he went with Sora, it might not feel the same…no, it would _never_ feel the same, but maybe he could make her happy and give Taichi a chance to find a more suitable person?

"Damn it all." He grumbled as Takeru called for everyone to meet downstairs so they could head to the restaurant. "I could never do that to either of them…"

* * *

**I always have fun writing scenes with Takato. The kid was more than happy to rat out his poor grandmother lol. Aika's introduction was short, but there will definitely be more of her in this story. By the way, I feel like I haven't been giving Sora much attention during this story. This chapter hopefully gave her some attention and illustrated the very drastic difference between Yamato's past behavior and present behavior. Also, just because I like questions; If you were in Taichi's place, would you stay in the relationship? When staying included having to work through your partner's fears and demons, as well as possibly never having the chance to have a physical side to the relationship? You don't have to answer the question if you don't want to. I just figured I would ask. **

**Have a great day everyone! Thanks for reading!**


	9. This Is Why We Can't Go To Nice Places

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. **

**Thanks for the reviews and readings everybody! You are very nice to give this little tale a chance (add an extra nice to yourself if you also took a look at or read the whole first story) : ).**

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Flashbulbs were on full force as the group tried to fight their way into the restaurant. Hikari's eyes widened as the reporters tried to step into their path and ask questions that were, frankly, none of their business. A quick tug on her sleeve alerted her to the fact that the smallest member of the group was a little unnerved by the attention. She took Takato's hand and watched the boy grab his father's hand as well. One glance behind their hand holding group, and she realized that the tallest member of their group was just as psyched out by the flashes and noise. It was like he kept expecting something to fall from the sky.

Inside the restaurant, she was pleasantly surprised to find out the photographers were not allowed to follow them. Takeru was famous in his own right, but he was less public about things. Her own parents hadn't realized he was a multi-published author when she first introduced him. In her own mind, Hikari had always assumed his private nature had come from the fact his first novel had been published around the time his wife was diagnosed with cancer. With a new baby and a sick spouse it seemed natural that he would want some space to handle the issues out of the public's view. When his superstar brother had settled into his house, that privacy had shifted and everyone next to him felt the effects.

"They are always loud, Gram Gram." Takato complained to Natsuko and attempted to tear off his clip-on tie.

"They shouldn't do that to a child," Natsuko chastised the paparazzi and tried to keep Takato from ripping off her present to him. "It isn't right to scare a child like that. Don't they have rule-"

"I wasn't scared Gram Gram!" The child in question spoke up a little too loudly for the restaurant environment and brought the attention of the owner.

"Excuse me, Gram Gram?"

The name wasn't the average title for a Japanese grandmother. Hikari had seen many people question the name when she and Natsuko had ventured to the various shops in town. When the maternal grandparents were dead-set on retaining proper terms, customs, and such, there weren't many other choices left for the paternal side. Personally, she found the labels Gram Gram and Pop Pop to be quite adorable when spoken in a childish voice.

"Hello," Takeru stepped in front of the group and smiled at the owner, "We have a reservation for Takashi."

Once his attention was brought back to the task at hand, the man busied himself with his host duties. In no time at all he had their group situated around a large rectangular table. Hikari and her unsteady body were extremely grateful she and Takeru had settled on a modernized restaurant that used chairs instead of more traditional seating. The price had been a bit off-putting to her, but Takeru had practically begged for this restaurant. The guilt of leaving his mother out of the loop seemed to be eating at the boy, since he was going rather out of his way to make telling her, Hiroaki, and Takato special. She couldn't fault him for working so hard, but she hoped he would let himself off the hook soon.

"This place is nice." Sora broke the silence surrounding their table and offered Hikari a small smile to raise her spirits. "I have heard a lot of good things about this resterau-"

"I knew you wouldn't quit!"

The shout from the table a few feet away forced Yamato and Hikari to jump in their seats. She could see a young couple attempting to have a discussion about something that obviously upset them both, but she wasn't sure what the subject was about. The man attempted to signal that she needed to lower her voice, but his counterpart grumbled something and seemed against giving in to silence.

"Why did we have to come here? I like the place coach takes me to better." Takato played with the chopsticks on the table and seemed impatient for the 'good news' his father had mentioned would come during dinner.

"Well," Takeru smiled happily and took Hikari's hand in his own. "We were going to wait until after dinner to talk about it, but there isn't any harm in saying something now. Right, Kari?"

"Right." She answered in a slightly louder voice, since the couple behind them was starting to increase their argument.

"If this is about the wedding…" A haggard looking Hiroaki spoke up and seemed to be fumbling for something in his inside coat pocket. He hadn't been able to spend as much time with his sons and future daughter-in-law as his ex-wife, but he wanted to do his part to give them a nice wedding. Takeru deserved a lovely celebration after finding someone who complimented him so well. Ever since he had seen Hikari try to comfort his son on the anniversary of Hatsumi's death, by talking about what a great woman she was instead of the idea that he should forget her, he was sold. There was a very loving spark inside Hikari and his son and grandson needed that in their lives.

"I wanted to give you a late shower present." He handed the envelope to Hikari and watched as she and Takeru looked into the paper holder. They smiled as they read the store-bought card and seemed very grateful for the monetary gift.

"_Is_ this about the wedding?" Natsuko questioned from her position across from Hiroaki, "Because, I have been meaning to tell you that we might be better off with a different baker. I heard some rather bad reviews about the one we looked at last week."

"I know a wonderful bakery in Tokyo. Maybe they could come in and create the food?" Sora tried to help the conversation along from the other side of Yamato and blushed slightly when she noticed how happily Natsuko stared at them. There was a glint in the woman's eyes that Sora couldn't place, but the way she seemed to be sending a silent signal to Hiroaki unnerved Sora more.

"This isn't about the wedding really," Hikari tried to bring order to the group and noticed a few of the members were starting to lean in closer to hear the conversation over the other patrons' argument. The only one who seemed against leaning in towards her was Yamato. He seemed to be staring at the walls of the restaurant as if he had lost sight of something. "Yamato?"

"Yamato?" She asked again when he completely ignored her and started to tap his hand nervously on the table.

"Hey Oji!" Takato shouted loudly and frowned when the adults hushed him. A small grumble escaped his lips when the others turned their attention away from him, "At least I got him to look…"

"What?" The blond's voice was a little edgy and inspired Sora to take hold of his good hand.

"Are you okay?" Takeru watched him suspiciously and noted the boy was having trouble keeping his focus on anything in particular. His eyes bounced around so quickly that the younger brother was beginning to feel a little dizzy.

"Sure… Yeah. Just listening to your announcement about the addition."

"Addition?" Natsuko pounced on the word and slowly let a smile creep onto her face. With one grandchild under her belt already, she knew what that word could very well entail. "A new addition to the family, perhaps?"

"Thanks oniisan…" Takeru blushed slightly and held Hikari's hand a little tighter. If his brother hadn't been sweating rather profusely and tapping a fast beat on the table, he would have sent him an annoyed look for dropping the ball a little quickly. "Yes, there is going to be a new addition to the family."

"A dog? We are gonna get another dog?!" No one hushed the child since his voice was one of the few audible over the angry couple that was growing far more verbal.

"Actually," Hikari smiled happily and felt her cheeks glow with a welcomed warmth, "You are going to have a baby brother or sister, Takato. You are going to be an oniisan, just like your Oji."

"A baby?!" Natsuko asked with a joy filled voice as she reached out and took Hikari's other hand, "That is so wonderful. I know it will be adorable."

"That is great, Takeru." Hiroaki smiled softly and chuckled when he noticed Takato was a little disappointed. "Don't you want to have a sibling Tak?"

"I'd rather have a puppy." He admitted honestly and tried to detach his tie again. "Does this mean we don't get cake at the marry party?"

"It's called a wedding, Takato." Natsuko smiled at him and gently pushed some of the hair out of his face, "I'm sure there is still going to be a wedding. Who knows, we might have another one in the near future."

"The wedding is definitely still in the plan," His mother's tone was not lost on Takeru and he quickly assured her that he still planned to officially commit to his fiancée, "It might be a smaller and quicker affair then we originally planned."

"We didn't see the need to have a large, expensive one anymore. Instead, we were planning on putting the money we had set aside for the wedding to a baby fund."

Hikari's explanation seemed to appease Natsuko and Hiroaki. Sora, who had been sitting farther away from the couple of the hour, hadn't needed anything to convince her this was a nice event. She smiled widely at both of them and tried her hardest to voice a heartfelt congratulation. But Takeru placed a hand next to his ear and mouthed that he couldn't hear her words, so Sora once again tried to pass on her message by speaking a little louder. It took her a moment to get her face past the fidgeting Yamato, but she managed to make eye contact with them and open her mouth.

"I KNEW YOU WERE THERE LAST NIGHT!"

The angry couples' words thundered over the restaurant seconds before a loud crash sounded from the back of the building. Everything happened in such a quick flash that Hikari wasn't able to figure out who had yelled or what had made such a horrible noise. All she knew was that the water glasses on the table had all fallen over, leaving a wonderful mess for a poor busboy, and the table itself had shaken so violently that it hit her stomach rather hard.

**XXX**

How was it that a person could know in his very soul what a place was going to be like, and still be completely shocked when the premonition came true? It wasn't like he hadn't been through the paparazzi lineup before. The flashing bulbs, random 'look at me' calls, and constant invasions of personal space were almost comforting in a sick way. It was like coming back home. An unstable, unpredictable, constantly looking for a way to demoralize you home, but a home nonetheless. Honestly, he didn't think it was the camera crews that he missed, it was the fact they had been so involved in his old life. His old, crazy emotion free, life.

The inside of the restaurant had been understandably nice. Takeru had never been the type to make big announcements casually, and Yamato had to give the boy credit for taking the stylish approach. When his brother had wanted to forgo higher education, he had taken each of their parents out for a lunch by Rainbow Bridge and discussed the idea with them for hours. When Yamato had avoided higher education in favor of a career in the music industry, he had left a post-it note and ran off to Tokyo. In the back of his mind, he wondered where he would have ended up if Sora hadn't spotted him years ago and brought him to Miyako's attention. Speaking of Sora…

"You ready?" Her smile was playful and lighthearted, bringing his worry down a peg or two. "They have a table set up for us. Come on, Yama."

There was nothing bizarre about the main dining room of the place, whose name he couldn't recall even though Takeru had said it at least a hundred times. Their table was large and gave each member of the group ample arm and leg room. Although the waiter had tried to take his crutches away, Yamato stopped him quickly and explained that they were going to stay right by his chair come hell or high water.

"It's okay." His best friend leaned her shoulder into his and winked at him, "I'll chase anyone who dares to touch them. Ok?"

He laughed softly and began to realize what a calming effect Sora had on people. She had always been one of the first to offer him a playful taunt or good kick in the pants when the situation called for it. The shimmer in her eyes reminded him of another firecracker he cared a lot about. Maybe that was why she and Taichi butted heads so often? You couldn't put fire and explosions together without getting a spark, and the same could be said for his crazy friends.

Sora turned her attention back to Hikari and mentioned something about food, at least he thought it was food. His attention was taken away from his guests and refocused on the multiple sets of eyes staring at their group. He couldn't see it, but he was willing to bet that at least someone had already taken a picture. Half of the paparazzi shots in the less reputable magazines were sent in by common people hoping to make a quick buck by invading another person's privacy. Surely, he figured, they had to know how unnerving and awkward it felt to be photographed at random times?

"I knew you wouldn't quit!"

The shout was loud enough to shoot through his mind and force him to literally jump in his seat. Instinctively, his head whirled around at lightning speed to find the source of the noise. How could he have missed a possible problem? He had spent so much time examining the room and something had still snuck past him?! Damn it! How could he have missed something so obvious?

A waiter walked over to the shouter in question, and forced Yamato to stare at their table with greater scrutiny. He judged the woman to be around her late thirties to early forties, while the man was most likely under thirty-five. Despite their fancy dress clothes the pair shared a complete lack of table etiquette. Even their waiter appeared at a loss for how to handle the rowdy duo. Although he was going to keep part of his attention span on them, he was going to label them as a low threat for now.

His eyes followed the waiter as the man carried the bickering couple's over-used wine glasses to the back of the restaurant. The man was silently mouthing a few particular words and Yama couldn't fault him for being so put out over the horrible patrons. During the awkward span of being a nobody in Tokyo, Yamato had put in his fair share of working odd jobs. Waiter-ing had always been the worst of the jobs since a growing number of older women didn't understand his rear end was not something they could touch. If it was possible, he thought, it would only be fair to leave the guy an extra tip on the table when the couple lef-

What was that?!

A large blur moved past the employees' only door in the back of the room and forced a shiver to spread down Yamato's spine. He _knew_ that body shape. How had that particular body gotten here? A quick glance across the table reminded him that he was not the only person in danger if this very probable situation proved true. There had to be a way to get them out without letting them know that the most vicious monster and backstabber was in the kitchen a few feet away. For a brief second, he looked away from the door and tried to reëxamine the room around them. Why couldn't he recall any of the past exit strategies he had planned only a few minutes earlier?!

"What?" The question tumbled out of his mouth bizarrely as Takato screamed at him. He had no idea what was going on in their conversation but offered a quick statement, "Sure… Yeah. Just listening to your announcement about the addition."

That would keep them all occupied while he tried to gauge the danger of the situation. As long as he kept everyone else from panicking it would be okay. He just needed to see the face of that demon and he could sound the alarm. What the right plan of action was, he didn't really know, but he wasn't going to just sit still and let himself be overtaken again. And heaven help anyone who thought they were going to drag the people he loved into a similar nightmarish existence!

As the adrenaline began to pump through his veins with record speed, images began to flood his mind. Unlike the previous months of only horrendous visions he was now experiencing a mix of victim and aggressor pictures. He disliked the way his heart was threatening to break out of his chest and the fact his forehead was quickly becoming dampened by beads of sweat. But there was still something different about this moment that his animalistic side adored. The chance to finally get a shot at standing up for himself and his family was fueling a newfound and newly embraced bloodthirsty rage.

Within ten seconds of his mental decision to jump what he just _knew_ was Maro, the tall figure exited the kitchen back first. His dark hair was still long and pulled back into a medium length ponytail. The only thing that seemed different, from the back at least, was the fact his skin was a few shades paler. It made sense due to the fact he had probably been living in secrecy since escaping jail. In the back of his mind, he made a mental note to tell Takeru to call the cops after he jumped the hulk. All he had to do now was watch as the man started to turn around…

The next three minutes flashed by in such a blur that Yamato's senses could barely register the forces surrounding his hyped up brain. All he knew was there was an ear-piercing scream, a heart stopping noise, and suddenly his brain lost control of everything. A yell escaped his lungs, as his limbs flailed in desperation to hide from what he assumed had to be some type of explosion. After living through one bomb, he was more than happy to avoid going back down that path. As his body awkwardly threw itself under the table, he reached out and grabbed hold of the two people on either side of him; Hikari and Sora. The girl's lurched forward into the table and Yamato slipped haphazardly under the table.

"Ow," Hikari winced in pain and rubbed her stomach softly, forcing the table to break the frozen scene and take account of the damage.

"Hikari?" Takeru's voice was coated in a panic that the Ishida men and Natsuko had not heard in many years. He jumped from his seat and knelt beside her chair within seconds, "Are you okay?"

"It is okay." The normally frail girl tried her hardest to remain calm as Takeru's large blue eyes watched her for any sign of pain. "My stomach just hurts a little. I must have slid on my seat and hit the table edge or something."

Under the table, Yamato's mind and heart were frozen. The bloodthirsty rage had left his body as quickly as it had come, and now he was left with a new feeling of numbness. It took all the mental power he possessed to turn and look at his hand still resting on Hikari's dress. The fabric was clutched tightly in his fist, reminding him that he had been the reason for her pain. She had to know. Why would she lie to Takeru?

"Yamato," Takeru's voice was firm and held an emotion Yamato couldn't detect. He wasn't sure if it was due to a lack of information or a lack of free mind space. "Let go, please."

"I…" The blond mumbled feeling stupid and childish as he silently nodded and took his hand off of Hikari and Sora's dresses.

"It really is okay." Hikari spoke up for the boy once again and laid the hand not holding her stomach on Takeru's shoulder. "I think it is just going to be a small bruise if anything."

"We need to get you checked out. We can't risk it being something, more… serious." Takeru's voice was caring but slightly commanding. He had seen what could happen when simple things were not addressed early on and was not, repeat not, going to let that happen ever again.

"Is everything alright here?"

Yamato peeked out from the table and found himself face to face with the man his twisted brain had been so certain was a demon. Now that he could see the waiter's face, it was plain to see that Maro had not snuck into the restaurant to capture bloody vengeance. Instead of his nightmare, a tall, strikingly large, woman with grey eyes was staring at their group with concern and mild annoyance. The annoyance faded away when she spotted Hikari's hand continuously rubbing her stomach.

"We need to get out of here. Can you have them bring the Takashi car to the front?" Unlike his normal self, this Takeru had no time for politeness or pleasantries. His mind was whirling with a thousand of possibilities as he kept an eye on his fiancé. He couldn't let anything happen to her. He _wouldn't_ let anything happen to her. Knowing Hikari, she would call even a broken leg a simple sprain if it would keep those around her happy.

As the waitress flung into action and began alerting the other staff to the possible emergency, Yamato looked around the room slowly. The fighting couple had stopped their screams and was now trying to leave the restaurant in a silent huff. Following them out of the main dining area was a disgruntled looking owner. Near the notorious back of the restaurant, he could spot multiple staff members trying to clean up whatever had made the loud noise. There was a complete lack of ash or explosive residue and a huge amount of glass pieces and food.

"Come on Yamato." Sora's voice forced him to look up at the only person from their group still standing at the table. "The others are already in the car."

"I… I didn't… I…"

* * *

**Okay, end of another chapter! I hope it was good for you guys and gals. I figured it would be interesting to see the same scene through the eyes of a normally functioning person and a person hyped up on stress and emotional instability. Special shout out thank you to Krikanalo and Together Again for answering the question! **


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